Living Loving Breathing Boys

Today is here!

Well, actually it’s almost over and then my adventure will continue tomorrow.   That’s what it feels like… a huge adventure!   I realized that I have not been alone… with me, myself and I … in many years!  Probably not since I was married!  When I do go away, I am hooking up with  a friend.

Today, I was up very early… before 4 am… excited and worked up…  as I kissed my dearest hubby goodbye, he said in his sleepy, sweet voice… “I can’t wait to read your book!”

I almost wept.  My heart started pounding… and I realized that this man believes in me more than I believe in myself.  I realized how much God has blessed me… as I live my happily ever after… (that doesn’t mean there isn’t the hard stuff… it means that we choose to always make it good).

I felt like a cool 20 something…. as I walked off the airplane (safely) and went about renting my vehicle… (an awesome red Mustang convertible), driving on the highway, in 89 Degrees of warmth.  I let out a loud holler… a Yippee… really loud and I drove down the freeway, radio blasting!

OK… then I went in search of the beach… just to sniff that salty air!  I love the smell of the ocean!

I spent a lot of time with me… something I never really do… and  you know what?  I like the me I’ve grown up to be…

Is that a weird thing to say?  Probably … if you didn’t know that for YEARS I didn’t like me.

Aw.. tomorrow will be a day of hoping to sleep in… (I hate being in a hotel room all by myself…  the scaredy cat in me comes out… I will be leaving lights on…)

Then… there will be a bit of shopping, walking on the beach, eating and then it will be 4 pm and time for my workshop!

Oh my goodness… I am so excited!

It’s here…

One more sleep till I am off to sunny Boca Raton, Florida!

I am so excited!!!

It was such a busy day, today!  Lots to do.  As usual, I have only myself to blame!

Why would I book Josh’s dentist appointment today???

I had my haircut… it only looks this good till I wash away my hairdresser’s touch.

AND I pierced my ears!

I am such a chicken!  I mean, I gave birth 6 times naturally… grinning and bearing down! Yet knowing the gun was going to pop my ear was SO SCARY!!!

My first piecing of my ears was a bit ago.. yet the hole closed up because I didn’t wear my earrings constistently.  Now that I want to wearing earrings more often… I did them again.

I wonder what strength people who pierce other places must have!  One of my cousins (a male) has a nipple piercing!  OUCH!!!

OK… change of subject…

Tomorrow, I land around 2 pm and then have the next 24 hours to myself!  I have not had this in forever… and I mean so long, I can’t remember.  Usually I don’t go away alone or I meet up with a girlfriend.  So this is definitely a whole new experience for me.

I have some money my hubby gave me, a wad of cash… just for me to do with as I like!  How sweet is this hubby of mine?

I love shopping.  I am actually a self professed shopaholic.  Reformed.  Since the ugly word … budget.  Ugh.

So… this will be fun!

I am so grateful for my dearest husband who loves me and believes in me… and pushes me to pursue my dream.  I admit, I am a little scared.

Yet… excited.

Please pray for my safety.  Planes in the air scare me a little.  The take off and landing scare me a little bit more.

I really should be getting all the things that I need to do ready.

I am so excited!!!!

I am sure I’ll be checking in… blogging while there… so we’ll be chatting soon!

xoxo

A friendly attitude is the best marketing ploy one can have!

I happened to be married to a small business owner.  I see the ins and outs of being a business owner.  Then there is the skills needed to be a busness owner in a small town… such as ours.

Word of mouth is the best advertising!  A happy custumer is a satisfied customer.

Where am I going with this?

Nobody likes to be solisited.  It is tiring and bothersome.  Especially if you are a small business owner in a small town.  And yet… I agreed to being part of this committee becuase it is for the hospital.  It is for my hospital… the one that I take my kids to when they are sick.

So, I felt like I could muster the courage to ASK because we are working together to better our community…  and while we all hope not… maybe it may be someone we love that will need that radiation bunker and how fabulous if it is in Peterborough!

Let me start by saying the businesses in town have been so GENEROUS!  It is part of what makes our community so great.

Today I went in to a small bookstore (rather than the box store in town) to give them first chance at having their store represented at the auction.  I wanted a basket of books by a famous Canadian  author, who happens to live locally…. to be donated… and the author  agreed to sign them.

I walked in and asked for the owner/manager.  I was shown to the person.  Let me tell you, there was no warmth in her at all.  In fact, if I had my kids with me, who love to chew on ice… they may have started gnawing on her!

Brrrr….

I still kept my smile and did my speel.  She showed me no warmth at all.  I would have been perfectly fine with, “I’m really sorry but we just can’t right now,” if it was said with a bit of warmth and kindness.

NOPE!

I told her that what she put together for the hospital auction, I would duplicate and buy as a donation to our school auction.

She offered no indictation  of helpfulness at all!  She said they would have to think about it.  When I asked her when I could follow up with her… she said, “I don’t know.”

I was so disgusted with the sour puss.

Now… before you say… I don’t know what made her that way… you are right.  Yet… you are still your business’s reputation.

I have figured I’d probably go into store tomorrow and tell her not to bother.

The box chain… I am sure will be more than willing to be helpful… and I am sure with a smile!

Sorry, Lady, you are drowning your store with your ugly attitude!

4 more sleeps!!!

Oh my goodness, I am so excited!

The list of things to do is growing by the minute… which makes me even more anxious…

There is laundry.  There is making all the arrangements  of care for the kids.  Then there is the stuff for the DWTS auction.  All weekend I dragged my sweet Sanj to various restaurants, as I solicited gift certificates for a package I am working on.  Imagine gift certificates for 10 family friendly restaurants.  This gift set may be called “Mom’s Night Off.”  I want it!  I was so grateful to all those that said yes… well so far every one said yes… which made my job much easier.

I find myself holding my breath, after the ask, saying a quick prayer, “Please God, don’t let them say no, please.”  Then as they say let me get some thing together, I breathe.

So as Sanj cringes as I ask… he hates this, yet he is chipping right in adding his encouragement for the manager/owner to see the reasons to benefit.  Last night as we were out to dinner, he tells the following story… his reasoning as to why I am “good” at this.

lol

Really, as my brother says, “It’s in the genes!”  Now, this would definitely be much more enjoyable and easier for my kid brother… he was a natural even as a young kid.

One summer my father heard of a way to earn a scholarship through the church.  The details are sketchy… but basically my dad saw it as a way to get tutition money… and with almost no effort from him.

He made these apron thingies, with big pockets on the front and back… to hold the magazines we were to sell and then a place for the money.

Then my dad dropped us off at the busiest intersection in downtown Dayton and left us there for hours, to sell these magazines.  The thing about the magazines is that they were older editions and they were religious ones to boot.

So there we stood, the three of us, selling these silly magazines.  Most people, I am sure, felt sorry for us and just gave us the money, often saying, “Keep the magazine.”
My dad would find various places and drop us off.  Some times in the evening we would be dropped of at apartment complexes.

We would get in trouble if we didn’t sell a reasonable amount.  My youngest brother made the most… being little and cute and a born salesman.  We would divvy up our sales so that no one got into trouble.

I hated doing this.

Yet… we did make it… the amount to get one of the scholarships for the year.

Crazy.

That is why I never say no to kids that are selling something.

No matter what they are selling.

What a crazy life!

Birthdays  tend to be celebrated for DAYS!

Josh turning 6 years old was no different.  First, we celebrated with the in laws… then there was the actual day… Josh had gone shopping and picked a bunch of clothing… he has a fetish for suits and ties… and then he has a love for the extreme opposite … fatigues.

This is his birthday suit… complete with shoes and sunglasses to match.  This child is such a fashionista!

Have I told you that I love this child of mine?

He is such a quirky child!

Then the celebration continued… rather than do a party at home, get gifts he didn’t need (but would have loved, of course)… we decided to do something special.

The Indian River Reptile Zoo… came to Josh’s class!  So much fun… there was a baby alligator, rat snake, turtle, bearded dragon, a huge… HUGE python!

Ok.. this is love… me holding a PYTHON?!!!

THEN… there was the birthday dinner.  Usually our family heads over to East Side Marios for our birthday celebration and the tradition is  the birthday boy gets a “pie” in his face.  Well, Josh was apprehensive about the “pie” so the waiter, awesome Justin, suggested that Max take the pie in the face for Josh! lol

And that a wrap… Joshua Daniel is officially SIX years old!

What a busy day!

And… TGIF!

I am working really hard on the Dancing for Docs auction.  I am on a roll, right now and so it feels really good!    Great success today with some restaurants.

Great Good Neighbour meeting  today too.  I have such a great group of ladies who have such awesome ideas.

As I was brainstorming ideas ways to make Rhema part of this cause.  It is part of our mandate… as our committee, to be a Good Neighbour… and it would be great exposure.

We came up with making a great big basket of toys… all sorts of fabulous toys kids love.  (And not from the dollar store either… lol)  I think it is going to be awesome… as there isn’t an auction item that is for kids.

So… this has me excited.  If you are local and would like to donate a great item to go into our  “Toy Box” message me… as we will appreciate any contribution to this cause.

Then as I was tossing this around, I asked Sanj what he thought about us approaching churches.  There is no exposure in this kind of venue.  Maybe it is an “out of the box” thought.

Yet… how great would it be if the churches came through with a great auction item or wanted to be a sponsor at the $1000 mark or $2500?

So… I called one friend already (whose hubby is a pastor) and ran the idea by her.  She loved it.

So, I am hoping that maybe other churches will jump aboard and be part of this amazing cause.  I mean, it is OUR town, OUR hospital and OUR healthy!

So, we’ll see.

Today Josh was such a trooper… I had a 2 hour meeting with the group about the auction.  He was so good!  I was so proud.

We then went to Sanj’s to meet him for lunch.

Sanj called me at the end of his day… panicked … he couldn’t find his phone.

Sanj asked Josh.
Josh laughed!
“I played a trick on you and hid it behind the menu at the restaurant.”

Sure enough, the restaurant had it.

April Fools, Sanj!  From Josh  🙂

I mentioned that we saw “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” this last weekend… and loved the movie… yet here’s the thing, what’s up with making the Indian kid always the geeky, nerdy one?

There is so much about the people of India… and yet Hollywood seems to miss that!!!

My brother has been asked to be the Week Of Prayer speaker at the school that my mom went to in India.  It is the school that Adventist Indian parents all went to and at one time roomed together!

My mom is going with him… a dream of hers, to return to India.

How cool is that?  Since this is my mom’s 75th birthday… this trip is a great gift for her.  She hasn’t been back in 35 years.  Wow… eh?

I would LOVE to go.  I’ll be sure to buy a lotto ticket this weekend.   Money wouldn’t be the only… rather what in the world will I do with the kiddies?  It is over the summer…  what a nuisance for Sanj.  Who knows?  Maybe a lotto win of a few thousand dollars will come  through… I can clear off those bills that keep me from being totally relaxed… and then check out India myself! and hire a “mom” for the boys for that time away.

Anyways, as this trip is wistfully on my mind, I have been googling India… looking at the map… etc.  I have to admit this would be so awesome.  I read lots of Indian authors.  I love stories from the mother country.  I would have my camera attached to me the whole time!

My father still has his family, aside from his one sister, there.  I would love to really have the chance to meet them as an adult.  The last time I went to India, I was five years old.  I have random memories.  The best one was surprising my grandma… my dad’s mom.  She didn’t know we were coming.  Can you imagine the skip in her heart?

We just arrived at her place, knocked at the door and stood there.  My dad pushed us forward, so when she opened the door, it was us, the kids she saw.  She has no idea who we were.  She looked so puzzled as we called her “Takuma” (meaning father’s mother).  Then she saw my father… and it is a cherished memory…her face that turned to pure joy.

She is long gone yet I wish I had a chance to know her… really know her.

I have a flock of uncles there and another aunt.  There is a host of cousins too.  It is so weird to know I have a whole family a world away.  I don’t know them at all.  And yet, they are family.  I am sure that we share many quirks.

My dad went back to India… maybe 10 years ago… and there is this picture of his brothers and him.  They are all laying down… (why they were all laying down like this, I dunno… but..)  anyways… it is the weirdest picture… when you think of genetics…

They were all in wife beater tanks, all laying the exact same way… one arm raised and tucked under their head.  Every one of them!  It was the way my dad always lay in bed…. and apparently so did all his brothers!

It makes me wonder what other family traits there are… it makes me wonder how much of my quirks come from my dad and family.

I look a lot like my aunt… my dad’s sister.  Especially as I get older, it startles me, sometimes.

India… Family… A whole history that is a mystery to me.

I really hope that I get a chance to unravel some of those secrets!

Today was one of those days…

You know the kind, hanging out in bed till almost noon… some of the boys and I watched a movie…  then made our way downstairs for brunch… then puttered some more… then we went to see “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.”  I loved this movie.  I was sitting there hoping that this movie hit home with my boys.

The two older brothers got into it.  Tyler punched Sammy in the nose.  Sammy was so furious.  I was so shocked.  What…

Sammy said a bad word.  That was as shocking as Tyler punching him in the nose.

I am so not cut out to parents my boys.

What planet did they come from?

At Tyler… well and at the rest of the boys… “If you EVER raise your hand in anger at one of your brothers EVER again... I’ll…”
( I wanted to say some thing fierce… like I’ll take you down!!!”  Yet… I know that wasn’t really the answer).

So… I grounded him from his life… till further notice.

At Sammy… “If you EVER use that kind of language you will be restricted to G rated movies till you are out of this house.”  It doesn’t help that he has friends that use that word… yet I know he was testing me as he said it… he saw my face and my reaction.

He knows better.  I told him that language is that of those that are ignorant.   There is no need for language.  Especially in my house and around me.

So… these two are mad at each other.

In this movie, which was about brothers… and ultimately brothers stick together… I saw one  bro looking at the other.

It sucks… that they fight as much as they don’t.  Will it get better?  Will they eventually become friends and love each other?

My friend says her two sons are each other’s best friend.

Insert my tongue sticking out here.

Diary of the Frazzled Mom due next October.

On this day, Easter Morning, 2005… 9:15 a.m. came a little gift…

Joshua Daniel Sukumaran

He took forever to make his way out of my body.  12 hours… me contracting every 5 minutes, Sanj snoring in a chair beside me, believing I had it under control… finally a touch of Pitocin convinced him it was time.

I was not impressed with him… from the start.  I was mad.  What took him so long to come out?  Thus began our crazy love story.

I love him and yet needed a break… he loved me and as I “pushed” him away… he clung to me all the more.

My sweet Josh… aw, but those aren’t just the adjectives that I can use…

loving, persistent, quirky, needy, touchy, hilarious, stylish, weird, gregarious, shy, loud, lazy, determined, loved, cherished, annoying, yummy, sweetness, big, confident, beautiful boy.

God knew I would likely keep trying for a girl… so He gave me instant birth control in Josh.

Our family is totally taken with this little being.  He has learned the art of wrapping each and every one of his family member around his fingers.

I could lay beside him forever as his love just oozes out of his body onto me.  He lets you know that he needs you.  He loves very hard.  He fights very hard.  He laughs very loud.  He has the best giggle ever.  He is very naughty.  He attracts trouble.

My Josh is just delicious.

It was 6 years ago today that this little boy rocked my world.  He turned it upside down.  It has never been right since that day and yet… I wouldn’t change it for anything.

Dearest Joshua,

You are the best!  I am so glad that Jesus gave you to me.  (God, You and I will fight this one out later…)  I love you so much.  I love watching you grow each day… and my love for you grows… as you fill more and more of your place in my heart.

Happy Birthday, my sweet Joshua.

You are one of a kind.

You are a special gift I get every day…

I love you more than you can imagine.

Happy 6th Birthday!

xoxo

It’s Friday!!!  This weekend is a “I have no plans at all” kind of weekend!

I LOVE this kind of a weekend.  My dearest is off in AZ so I am single mommy … if he was home, no doubt we would have had friends over.

So… the boys are having a sleep-over.  Sammy and Jordan are off at a sleep-over…   Tyler has a friend over.  Max and Zach, who never seem to have friends over, much less a sleepover… are beyond excited!  They are actually giddy! lol

So… every one is happy.

It is funny how the dynamics changes when a few of the brothers are gone.  Sammy, being the oldest and the most outgoing… seems to always find the other boys friends following him, eventually.  This is very frustrating for the boy who has the friend over.  Sigh.  So with 2 brothers gone… it is just the right mix for this sleepover.

There’s pizza and a movie… The new Yogi Bear movie for later.  Cookies and Popcorn too.

Me:  I got an Indian frozen dinner… not sure how good it will be … but the soul wants comfort food.  Then I have a couple of chick flicks.  I am counting down for Josh to go to bed… he is being a typical little brother, following everyone around… being a nuisance.  🙂

I love an evening when everyone is content.

Josh was given a bunch of VHS videos.  We have a little tv that is just sitting there with a built in VHS player.  I heard Josh, as he was walking around with the big tape… “Max, could you put this in the computer?” lol

I love the VHS… they don’t scratch.  They are pretty durable.  So, he is thrilled to have these movies.  I thought I would look at pawn shops to see if I could collect a few more.

Oh how much I love a Friday night!

xoox

17 years!

This summer, July 3rd, Sanj and I will be celebrating 17 years of being married.

That made me think of 3 years from now… our 20th anniversary!

I want a party.  It will include a limo, a real wedding/anniversary cake, real invitations and a banquet hall.

What does that have to do with anything?  Well, we got married on a really small budget.  So these are corners we cut… our invitations were simply on white paper done at the printers, our cake (the wedding cake) was rented and fake, with a sliver to place the knife through, there was no limo (although a sweet friend chauffeured us in his father’s fancy car) and we turned a gym into a reception hall.
Of course, none of those things mattered… then or now.  I was so dreamy eyed to be marrying my dream guy.  I actually wrote in a journal years earlier to God, if I could have Sanj as my hubby then that would be great.

lol

How much I love this man.   I definitely love him a zillion times more now… (now that I have him molded and shaped just as I like him)… lol

I love that we have built this life we have together… every bit of it.

I love that he is in my future when I think of tomorrow… and beyond.

So… a party is what I want…. to celebrate the love we share.

A limo,  a cake and invitations… those are things that means … it’s all good.

Then I have this idea… in the summer of that year, July 3, 2014…. well that weekend, which means its July 4-6th… we will invite all those that are loved by us to join us for a party!

Sanj is fully expecting me to renew his “lease” … lol  How fun is that?  A lease renewal party!

I would love to get all my bridesmaids to come for a girls weekend at a cottage somewhere.

Girlfriends… are you hearing me?

I had 8 bridesmaids… Linda, Ellen, Ziggy, Shirley, Rhonda, Cynthia, Sharon, Dianne… all of whom are in my life in some way today.  While a couple are horrible at staying in touch… (Clearing my throat… no names)… they are all in my life.  How great is that?  How much I love each of them.

Sanj asked why I am planning this now?  I love a party!  I love having all those I love around me.  So… I am planning already.  I hope you can come!

Mark your calendars… July 4-6th, 2014

It’s Friday!  It’s sunny (though very cold) and the weekend is in sight with no real agenda!

Yah!

I must say that I am not missing hockey at all!  🙂  The boys, on the other hand, are now talking about summer hockey.  They literally live and breath it!

My sweet hubby is off in sunny, warm Phoenix, AZ.  Yes, another conference!  He did play a round of golf, though… I think he enjoys these little getaways.  I am sure he enjoys the quietness and alone time as much as he enjoys escaping the office and all the dynamics there.

He will be back just in time to celebrate our little man’s 6th birthday!  Here’s the thing… 3 out of the six boys are born on the 27th or 28th.  So Josh… I’m not a hundred percent sure if he was born on March 27th or 28th… but we are going with the 28th this year because Sanj is away the 27th!  I’ll look it up on his birth certificate. lol  I finally got it down that Zach’s is on the 28th of January.

My tummy has been kind of rumbly and had me nauseous all week.  Not a pleasant feeling.  It brings pangs of fear of pregnancy back.  Of course I know I am NOT pregnant.  Yet, being so for so many years… it is always a fear that there will be a surprise.  All six pregnancies were planned and wanted.

Then there comes a time when you are finished.

That is when panic settles in.  If I am pregnant… that means …  and it goes on and on until I have exhausted myself.

Would I be happy if I did get pregnant and it was a girl at this point?

Probably not.

lol

So… I sit back and await my stomach to settle.

Tomorrow I invited ourselves to my mother-in-law’s for lunch.  She always makes Indian food for Sabbath lunch.  I have some stuff that needs to be dropped off there.

I call and let her know we want to invite ourselves over.  I let her know it is just me and the kids.

She asks me, “How come Sanj never comes over anymore?”

How come I get asked the loaded questions?

13 more sleeps till I am off to Florida!

I am so excited!  Ok… I am really excited and a whole bunch nervous.

Friday we are in session from 4-9:30 pm.

Saturday we are in class from 8am-7:30pm!

Sunday again from 8am-4 pm.

That is a whole lot of class time!  Especially on Saturday!  That’s as long as I was in labour with Josh!  My ADHD side is stressing out!

Sanj keeps laughing.  He knows me so well.

I am sure that I will be fine.  Right?  🙂

I am so looking forward to learning and writing.  There will be time to write.  No interruptions.  How cool is that?

Anyways, 13 sleeps!!!

Sorry my post has no substance… but I just need to write today.

It feels so good.

Happy Friday!

xoxo

How much I have missed writing!

It is such a gray day outside.  (Why are there two ways to spell gray or grey)?

It makes me want to crawl back into bed.  I am so tired.  My diabetic med is making my stomach sick.  I felt pregnant all day yesterday.  🙁  It is back to being cold outside and they are calling for a bit of snow.

Sanj is off (yes, again) to Phoenix, AZ tomorrow.  I think he is enjoying his escapes from us.  I miss him when he is gone.  I plan on having a very low key weekend.  It will include laundry… and maybe catch Mars Needs Moms.

We had a great March Break.  We went to Mont Tremblant, Quebec.  What a beautiful drive.  We went through back country roads and the drive was gorgeous.

The mountain was huge.  I thought I was seeing the top of the bunny hill… yet was decieved as the top of the mountain was past the clouds!

The village we stayed at had a European feel to it.  I loved it!  Great Shopping!  I found the greatest pair of red boots… with no heel.  They weren’t cheap but if I didn’t get them, I know I would have regretted it.   I love a great find!

We ate at some yummy restaurants.  The boys enjoyed wandering … they did some swimming, skiing, window shopping and actual chilling.

It was just a wonderful break all around.

Saturday we spent in Ottawa, our nation’s capital.  We drove past my old stomping ground… the little church school I taught at, my old apartment and our favorite little Thai restaurant… that was still there.

Saturday night we went to a NHL game… Tampa against the Senators.  This was Josh’s first game. He enjoyed the snacks the best. The game went into overtime, much to my chagrin… I can only handle hockey in small doses.

Oh My Goodness!

What a busy day!  This was the first day of back to normal in a long time.  First, there was the endless days of sick kiddies.  Then I got sick.  Then, there was the week before March Break… the week I did laundry non stop.  Then there was March Break.  Now I am back to the reality of life.

I am playing catch up on projects… such as getting items for the auction for the Dancing with the Docs…

There is catching up on house stuff.

There is planning Josh’s 6th birthday celebration.

There is planning my weekend away at my writer’s retreat.

And there is always the laundry.

Today I went to various businesses and solicited items for the auction.  Some said NO.  Some said, “We will see.”  Some actually said yes!

I am so excited about one of the items, if it comes to fruition.  The CHE, the hockey camp that our boys go to, is working on getting hockey players to come for a hour boot camp.  How cool would that be to work with a real NHL player?  We are also hoping to snag some females from the Ladies Hockey Team… You know, they won gold!

It is very stressful to ask… well at least for me.  I can see already that they are tuning me out … being used to give give and give… and yet… it is for a great cause… it is for our community.

I want to say… “Hey, listen to me… I know I am asking.. but it is for a GREAT CAUSE!“

It will all come together.  I prayed each time I went into a place.  So… I have to believe that God is in control and will help me get it done.

Today I got a phone call from one of the ladies running the writer retreat I am going to a week from this Thursday.  I am a little intimidated.  She called my blog “Cute”… not sure what that meant.  On Saturday… we are in session from 8am-9:30pm.  How will I handle that?  Usually I would sneak out and play hooky for a bit.  That would be too obvious… I am sure I will be so into it that I won’t notice the time… but just reading that send me into a bit of panic.  This class will be longer than I was in labor with Josh… just by a bit!

I haven’t written in a while.  Did you miss me?  I was censoring myself.

It’s all good.

Some things aren’t worth losing hair over.  Some things… are really best in God’s hands.  Sometimes, it is time to move on.

It’s all good.

If you have an idea for the auction… or want to donate, please message me.  I have a few ideas that we are looking for a business or person to sponsor.   ie… a chartered flight to Montreal or Ottawa to have dinner and go to a game.

Message me…

sukreema@hotmail.com

By the way, Welcome Spring!!!

My boys love shows such as Fear Factor and Wipe Out.  It is the kind of show that crosses the age barrier between the older boys and the younger ones.

When I was little, I remember my family gathered around watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.

They were watching Fear Factor,  women’s week.  As I walked in to watch with them, it was down to the final 2 ladies.  One chickie (I wouldn’t really call her a lady)  just bothered me.  She was tall, lean and pretty enough. She had bleach blond hair and yet you did not notice any of these features.  She had the hugest, fakest boobs.  HUGE!  They were literally the size of basketballs.  To add to her appearence, her clothing did nothing to hide her basketballs.  When she had to put her bathing suit on, it barely covered anything of her lushiness.

I looked at my boys… time for a life lesson.

“Boys… do you see this ladies breasts?  THEY ARE FAKE.  No woman has breast like that!”

(Insert the boys and Sanj looking at me uncomfortably… Sanj is looking for my filter…)

“Yes, women can get fake breast put in… when they have small breast and are unhappy with them.  Yet this girl… she looks ridiculous!”

“This is the kind of girl, if you bought home… Mommy will not like!”

I smile.

The boys are looking at me, hoping that I will stop talking.

Josh, who is resting his head on my shoulder, slowly moves his head closer onto my breast…

“Are yours real, Mommy?

I, of course, bust (haha) into laughter!

I love my boys!

“Don’t cry over someone who wouldn’t cry over you.”

Wow… that one hit me … (I saw this on a Facebook friend’s status).

I wish I could take back the tears I cried over those that did not hold me in the same light.

Actually I haven’t had a bunch of boyfriends… and so there were only a couple I cried over … yet how mad it makes me that I wasted those tears.  Did they cry over me?  Um… I highly doubt it.

lol

I wish I had been that strong kind of gal that said “See you later” and walked away.  Nope.. I was the one that analyzed it to death.  I was the one that wondered what was wrong with me?  How come I didn’t think of what was wrong with him?

You know, this applies in friendships too, I’m thinking.

As I have wondered why a couple of girlfriends just walked way… I have to say that I doubt that they think of me.

Don’t cry over someone that wouldn’t cry over you.

As I watch my boys growing up, some interested in girls and some that still think that they have the cooties… I hope that their precious hearts will not be broken too badly.  I hope that they will treat the ladies’ heart that cross their paths with gentleness and care.  I hope that they can find true love without too many scars.

Yet.. it is worth it.  When you get it right?  Those tears of yesterday are a passing memory…  just annoying to remember wasting tears… when those tears weren’t reciprocated.

What a long day yesterday was!!!

I had appointments for the boys …  we had just got into the van after getting a puffer for my Tyler… and Josh throws up all over…  there is nothing more disgusting than throw up in a vehicle.

And … the sound effects by the boys…lol.

I feel like I need to pour the hand sanitizer all over me!

I was on the phone, talking to a friend who was really sick.  There is nothing worse then being the mom and being sick.  She had a fever and was throwing up.  Her husband was out of town.  I said to her, “Let me know if you need anything...” knowing full well she wouldn’t ask… and making a point to stop at the store and pick up some things for her, though I didn’t voice it.

Tyler looks at me, after I hung up and said, “You shouldn’t ask her what she needs… she isn’t going to tell you.  You should just do something.”

Wow… how is it my 14 year old gets what so many grown adults don’t?

I was blown away with his heart.  And.. so proud.

Asking if there is anything you can do, is a mute question, don’t you think?  Just think of what  you would want done for you… and there is your answer.

Doing unto others… it is just that simple.

Another thing… don’t forget the thank you.  I am amazed that the lack of manners that grown adults seem to be missing.  Again… this comes down to the basics of if you are a giver and taker.

Be a giver!

Be a gracious, grateful taker… Please.

Slowly but surely my babes are feeling better.

The noise level has increased.  There is action all around me and yes, fighting and arguing.  They are becoming themselves again.  The boys are tired.  That is pretty much the biggest thing, now and coughing.  Lots of wet coughing.  Then just after the coughing, you will hear me nag… “Cover your MOUTH!”

Yesterday, I took Max and Josh to the doctor’s.  I knew that Josh’s likely had pneumonia by now and was hoping to avoid being sent to the hospital.  He was really sick while we were there.  He was achy, burning up and just wanted to crawl into my lap.

There was a lot of noise in the waiting room.  Lots of little ones everywhere.  Do you notice that there is always a mom that is louder and more obnoxious then everyone else?
Well, this was the case yesterday… there were a couple of those moms there.  The first one reprimanded her son from across the room, constantly.  She was so loud and harsh I found myself embarrassed for her.

Then there was another mom and her little one, no more than 3 years of age.  She was drinking her coffee and he was begging her for some.  She gave him the latter part of her coffee.  Then she was yelling at him constantly as she chased him around the room, cursing his activeness.

Coffee and a 3 year old?  Really?

Then there was the crabby tech in the Xray department.  She was not a kid friendly person at all.  Maybe she was an animal person… because her people skills were lacking.  She was no abrupt with Josh, I wanted to take my heavy “protect me from the radiation” apron and whack her with it.

Why?  She is obviously in a job that deals with sick kids.  Give him a break.  First of all, relax.  There wasn’t a line or anyone waiting.  Chill.  If she just took her time, it would have been much easier.  Josh could sense her rudeness and got more worked up.

Stress.

All was said and done.. 2 1/2 hours later, we were out of there.  Josh was sound asleep before we were on the road.  We were armed with antibiotics.  Pneumonia and bronchitis      were the diagnosis… Max was told to hydrate!

While we were in the waiting room, in walked at mom with a newborn baby with the dad and a 15 month old boy.  I was fascinated.  That had been me years ago, with Sammy and Tyler… except they were 12 months apart.  Wow.  I couldn’t stop watching…  How I wish I could peep back into those days…  How I loved that time… when they were so little.

When I came home, I was recapping my day to Sanj and told him of this little family… who had been to his clinic… I found out.  All Sanj said when I was talking about that time so long ago was, “We were so poor!”

I laughed.  So typical of him.  And yet sometimes you really just need love… we didn’t miss all the things we didn’t have… not really.

What a crazy week and half it has been!

The boys have not been this sick ever… and certainly not all at once.

This morning Max came to be bed and said he couldn’t see and then fell to the floor and lay there.  Oh my goodness… for a minute I thought he had a stroke! (Can little boys have stokes)?

Scared the daylights out of me!  He is such a good sick boy.  He just sleeps and sleeps and never complains.

Anyways we are off to the doc’s today… just to make sure everything is still good… Josh is coughing deep down from his chest… so just want to make sure I am not ignoring anything.

It looks like spring really may come early… it’s freezing rain outside and there seems to be more rain than snow in the forecast.

I think we are ready for winter to be done.

Over March Break we  will be going to Mont Tremblant for 2 days of skiing/snowboarding.  Then we will spend a day in Ottawa and take in a Senators game.  The boys are really looking forward to this!  Sanj got a new snowboard for Christmas and is really looking forward to breaking it in.

This summer we are going to PEI for a week!  I am really looking forward to this!  On the beach, relaxing.  The boys can dig for clams right in the back yard.  With a large family it makes more sense to rent a house where we can cook and do laundry as we need to.

(This is our cute little beach house we will be staying at.)

I haven’t been outside of Ontario so I am excited to explore bits of Canada.

Ah… these thoughts give hope on a dreary grey day.

Of course there is my little retreat in April…

Yet as of now… I am just trying to get my babies better and out of the house! Who’d have thought!

My hands are so dry from all the handwashing!  Yet I am so grateful to God for giving me health through this time.

Josh and Sammy were teasing each other… about being a mama’s boy.

Josh said to Sammy:  “Your’e a mama’s boy AND you came out of her private!”

Sammy was speechless.

lol