Future Gold Medalist

On Sunday, after watching Canada win the gold medal in men's hockey, by chance we got a call from Grammie and Grampie Brown. They wanted to come visit and thought it'd be nice to go skating. The original plan was to go to the Oval but that didn't pan out because of an unseasonably warm day (naturally) but we found a rink ten minutes from home that was having an open skate.

We packed up our winter gear and met them at the arena. Matt's two youngest sisters were already on the ice when we got there. There were Max sized skates waiting for us there, which was a surprise and even a pair for Matt. I don't skate and Matt hadn't for at least ten years but Grampie is a pro. He convinced Max - the child who won't participate in anything - to go out on the ice with him. It was Max's first time.

Ellie, Grammie and I sat on the bleachers and watched. E had a ball just watching everyone and gave little waves to everyone who skated past us. It was an awful lot of fun seeing Max not only do something, but enjoy it. He had one little spill but he got right back up.

Afterwards he and Ellie had a snack while we packed everything up and he talked about coming back to practice, so he could be like Sidney. And Grampie. Gosh he's cute, that Max.

Matt caught the skating bug too, so we're going back next week. Probably more than once. I may have to learn how to skate.

New Goose

Max had been refusing to get a haircut for months. Since August to be exact. And, the only reason he cut his hair in August was because he was part os Katie's wedding party. Can't have a ragamuffin walking down the aisle.

We had talked about it, very casually with him and he'd reply with a swift "NO! I like my long hair." So that was that. Max has a fantastic imagination and is almost always in character. Not that he pretends to be someone else, for a short time he is someone else. You have to address him by his "name" and will correct you if you call him Max. The long hair played a big part in this because all of his favourite characters had longer hair. He'd sweep it up and to the side when being the Doctor, or brush it over his forehead when he was Luke Skywalker. He's a method actor.

A few weekends ago Matt was trying to get Ellie to nap and was having no luck so Max and I thought it best to go for a walk and give them a quiet apartment, for once. There's a salon just next door so I mentioned going there to Max and he agreed. Jump to me practically running with him in my arms to get him in the chair before he changed his mind.

He sat there with a pouty face and sad puppy dog eyes as I kept telling him:

"It's gonna look SO good"

"You can change your mind at any time."

But, he stayed and let the gal finish his cut. He got a bunch of compliments from all the hairdressers that he politely accepted, then went back to pouting. We got home and he stood in the mirror trying to fuss with it and exclaimed that this cut wouldn't last, he'd be growing it out again.

Oh well, at least he'll look a little presentable for the next couple of months. You win some, you lose some with Max Brown.

*We call Max Goose, no idea why, just started it when he was a wee bebe. May be slightly influenced by my love for Top Gun.*

Our Weekend 012

Matt flies out to Newfoundland today, so we spent the weekend lovin up on him and squeezing in as much family time as we could. 

He had a weird work schedule last week and had to work Monday and Friday only, which threw the kids for a loop since they usually have him home for a week at a time. They waited in their bedroom window Friday evening, watching the parking lot and refusing to eat dinner until Daddy came home. It was sweet and a little sad. He was met at the door with big hugs and squeals. What a nice way to end your work day, no? 

Saturday we had dinner at Katie's, she over fed us like always and we left full and sleepy. The babes helped me make orange juice, raisin scones for dessert, and by helped I mean they quietly played on the iPad and let me do my thing. Awful nice of them. 

Sunday morning we made a big brunch and watched the Olympic gold medal hockey game. We're not really hockey people but it was kind of a big deal and the first time the kids have ever seen a game. So, it was fitting that Canada won! Max was really into, Matt was really into the fact that Max was into it. Ellie was really into brunch. 

Go Canada! 

Whole lotta nothin'

Max taught her how to make this face.

                                                   

            
We've done nothing all week. Absolutely nothing. I'm so bored, I can't even muster up the strength to complain about it.

So excuse the radio silence, but there's nothing blog worthy going on over here. There's nothing worth calling Gram about going on over here.

Just a whole lotta nothin' and for now, we're ok with it.

Our Weekend 011

So, we didn't really "celebrate" Valentine's Day on the actual day.But, I did get beautiful flowers and the sweetest handmade card from the three amigos so I guess that's better? It's totally better.

Clearly Matt's the artsy one in the relationship

 Katie came over to watch the littles on Saturday while Matt and I went out to dinner. We figured we'd skip the V Day crowds that way. We went to 2 Doors Down, downtown and it was amazing.

When we got there, they didn't have any tables available but they would call us when one opened up. We walked down to Starbucks to grab some fancy coffees and wait it out but it ended up only taking fifteen minutes. We tried the Dine Around menu, which is a set menu of three different options to start and three more for an entrée and a dessert of your choice. Everything sounded delicious. Matt got the Finnan Haddie to start which was like a haddock chowder and the seafood vermicelli as his main course. I had the kale caesar and the cheeseburger. It was massive so we split the burger. Oh. So. Good.

His & Hers

We'll definitely be going back. Although before this date we hadn't been downtown for dinner since last summer, so who knows when we'll make it back. We were actually so tired from going out to dinner (I know) that I'm still recovering. Can you tell we don't get out much? Oh, and we were home by 9:30 that night. Good grief.

Sunday was a bit stormy so we stayed in and had a movie day. The best sort of Sunday afternoon. Beth came over for dinner that evening and played with the babes until they fell asleep. Aunties are great like that.

I couldn't think of a proper way to end this thing so... that's all :)

Happy Valentine's Day

We're celebrating by putting the babes early tonight and binge watching the new season of House of Cards. Oh, and lobster. You know, good ol' fashion romance.

Enjoy your day folks. Eat too much chocolate, spend too much on flowers, eat in a crowded restaurant and take advantage of all the extra snuggles, cuddles and lovins you get today.

Our best date

Since it's Valentine's week, (I'm making that a thing) I thought I'd share one of favourite dates Matt and I have had.

We were staying at his parents place while he worked in New Glasgow, since they're only an hour and a half away and always willing to have us, we stayed with them for the week last summer. They insisted offered to babysit so we could have a night out. They even let us take the convertible!

Jump to us running out of the house waving to the babes behind us and hopping in the car. We had no solid plan, we were just happy to be out together and in a really cool car. We're simple folks.

We drove for a while and ended up at a chinese restaurant that I use to go to all the time while I was in school in New Glasgow. The food is subpar, at best and the atmosphere is cheesy but I get nostalgic sometimes, is what. I ordered my usual and Matt (ever the adventurous eater) ordered some sort of shrimp dish. When it came, I was too busy devouring mine to notice he hadn't really touched his. When I looked up and saw that he wasn't eating and had this look on his face, something was up. His food was... not good. Let's leave it at that.

So we left, still early we got back in the car and drove some more. That's when Matt had the best idea. There was a new brewery in Pictou that he wanted to try out. OK! It was the cutest little place, run by a husband and wife team, the wife was actually the only one there and she was THE sweetest gal. She gave us a little tour and let us taste some beer.

It was such a simple date and even though the meal wasn't great, it was such a novelty to drive around with the top down and visit a cool new spot, just the two of us. All of our best dates seem to happen when visiting Grammie and Grampie. We never need to worry about the littles, they rarely know we're gone with all those aunties there and unlike Halifax, you really have to look for something to do, Which is the best part. We always end up doing something we could never do at home in the city. Like that one time we hit up the indie art gallery owned by Matts friend, or the time we got cheesecake to go and sat on the waterfront to eat it in the dark. Just cute little things that are hard to pass up when there is nothing else to do. Life in the city is so busy and there's so much to do here that we forget to not do anything sometimes.

We're struggling to come up with something to do on Friday that doesn't involve being shoved into an over crowded restaurant with a hundred other couples. Romance and all that. If only we could go to New Glasgow for the weekend.

Our Weekend 010

We had a visitor filled weekend, Matt's brother is home from Alberta for the week, he and his girlfriend and Matt's sister Beth came on Friday and brought pizza. Max is in love with uncle Ben, those two are thick as thieves. So, when he fell asleep (first nap in months, naturally) we were all a little disappointed. Seeing those two play is pretty cute. We tried to wake him but he wasn't having any of it. E on the other hand, had all the attention and her aunt and uncle all to herself. Which she loved.

Saturday was library day, we took Katie with us. Max insisted on taking the bus to give her the full experience. When you're four, the bus ride is half the fun. Afterwards we came back here to make and decorate Valentine's Day cookies. We used Natalie's recipe, it made tons and they were like buttah. Max loved decorating them and E loved licking the icing off. So it was a good Saturday afternoon, is what I'm saying.

We're so lucky to have friends that love our littles that much. It's really is amazing to see someone interact with them on that level of love that isn't directly related to them. The babes call her Aunt Katie and she and I have been friends for twenty years , so she technically is related, but still. They love her right back, too. E has started saying "Datie" and has plenty of "phone conversations" with her daily.

This is sappy, I know, but V-Day is this week and I'm feeling smultzy so there it is.

T.G.I.F.

Its Friday, which means absolutely nothing to a SAHM. Well it means absolutely nothing to me. We don't have school or classes or pressing matters to attend to throughout the week, so everyday really bleeds together. I'm lucky if I know what day it is, ever. Regardless, it IS Friday which is exciting for most people.

This has been the WORST week. Ever. Period. No contest. It has drained the life out of me. A random, inexplicable illness has taken hold of my house that makes my kids whiney and unable to hear me. Or they've become possessed. Same difference.

Even though Friday is no different than any other day of the week to us, I'm glad it's here because it means I've survived this week from Hell and can try again on Monday, when Matt gets back. If I'm not shaking in a corner by the time he gets here.

In lighter news, look how cute my demon children were for about a minute.

Almost friends

Folks, my kids are friends, kinda, almost. The haven't really showed much interest in each other before this without me forcing them upon one another while screaming "you love each other!" like a crazy person.

There was the fascination Max had with new baby Ellie when we first brought her home but that only lasted three seconds and then he was over it. E always follows Max around, imitating him, like a younger sibling ought to. But, they were never really friends, which had bothered me a bit, because duh, built in friend guys, utilize the convenience. But more and more, I'm noticing them hanging out together, playing or chasing each other. I love every minute of it. Even if it only lasts for a minute.

The other day while I was vacuuming, I rolled up their play matt, tossed it to the side and kept going. They had turned it into a bed and when I finally turned the vacuum off, I heard giggles coming from the living room.

This is what I found, two friends playing.

in co-ordinating Mickey/Minnie Mouse jams, for good measure

I hummed the theme song from "Friends" the entire time I wrote this post. You're welcome for not just typing it out and calling it a day.

Our Weekend 009

It's finally February. January is always rough, the decorations from Christmas are gone and the weather is less than stellar. But then February arrives, and while it's still cold and nothing of note happens in this month, at least it's short. So there's that.

We spent last week and most of our weekend organizing, cleaning and going to job interviews (if you're Matt). It was a whirlwind five days home for Matt and we didn't really get to enjoy it very much.

Our new to us cabinets arrived on Friday thanks to Matt and the lovely people who sold them to us. Four in total and they're pretty much perfect. In every way. They are big and roomy, mid century, walnut, German made and dreamy. They're arrival prompted me to re-organize everything in my house to justify having them and giving them a purpose besides being beautiful. Wouldn't it be nice if we all had that problem?

featuring a rare appearance from Penny cat.

We did have dinner with friends on Friday, they brought Chinese takeout because they're the best, is why. And we went to playgroup at the library, but other than that the last five days have been a blur. I think. I'm not sure of anything anymore, my brain is mush.

Sunday we had planned on having a Superbowl party but then half of our party had to cancel - you were missed friends! - so it ended up being us and Katie (hetero-life mate extrordinaire). It was a lot of fun despite it being not really a party and more three adults eating way too much junk food while one enjoyed the game... me. And, then Denver lost immediately, so.

Oh, and the babies watch me do yoga from time to time and have picked up on it.

Max is crazy flexible...

I have big news I'd like to share soon(ish) but for now that's it. Cliffhanger!