A little male bashing!

This morning my 9 year old walked into my room saying "I have to practise this more."

He was patting his head & rubbing his tummy at the same time!

I asked the question "why do you need to practise?"

"Because I am learning to multi task!"

If he succeeds he will be the first male on earth that I know who can multi task!

Sorry lads!!

Pollyanna day 2

So day 2 of Pollyanna.

Weather... a wee chilly 4 degrees...could be worse? Positive side.. the kids were in school ( they had 2 snow days last week!)

A little negative side..need therapy....oh yes how about some Retail Therapy!

Determind to stay positive & "glad" I went on a spending spree to the mall and it seemed that everywhere was offering big discounts so it was a true "Glad Pollyanna" day for me after all!

I was supposed to be doing homework from my college course & in my spare time painting the trim to the living room...needless to say it did not get done.

C'set la vie!

I'm enjoying this Pollyanna thing!

Pollyanna

Last night I went to see "Pollyanna" at the theatre so I have decided to adopt her attitude to get me thru this "crap winter blues phase". Of course I am copying Blue Poppy who was the first real Pollyanna that I have ever met!

So this morning as I pulled back my curtains full of a positive almost drug like state & saw the delightful tumbling snowflakes I played the "Glad game." If you have not read the book or seen the film etc Pollyanna turns every negative thought into something positive...bless her!

My first reaction (what the f...!) was replaced by "oh how lovely today I can shovel the snow & get fit!"

Yeah right!!! Let us see how long this can last!!!

I'm done!

OK I have finally reached the "I'm done with this bitter cold weather."

As I ask myself "why the heck do we continue to live here in the wilderness with vicious winds, dry air inside & out and being housebound... it is just way too evil to go outside?"

If you do venture out your cheeks smart as they feel as if they are being whipped with icicles, your breath hurts as you breath through your nose as you dare not open your mouth as the iciness strips your tonsils out! Your skin is so flaky & dry. Your poor hands are ripping with the dryness everywhere. All the hand cream in the world cannot replace the moisture that your body is lacking.

The mountainous piles of snowbanks loose their attractiveness at this time of year as they just become a bother to try to look around as you pull out of a road. They have grit ground into them and look revolting...if only they would disappear!

The cold is in my bones & the only cure is thermal vests, hot tea or to get into the hot tub (which is inside as there is no way I am being naked outside in these temps! Who knows what could freeze & fall off!)

Oh summertime where are you???

Only 4 more months to go!!!!!

Eyebrow Bother.

Over hearing a conversation between 2 pre-schoolers!

"Something in my eye is bothering me."

"Maybe it is a fallen eyebrow?"

"Yeah."

Explaining Marriage to a 4 year old!

"When I grow up I'm going to marry my sister."

"Oh unfortunately you can't do that, how about one of her friends?"

"No I love my sister. Why can't I marry her?"

"It is against the law."

"OK then I will marry my brother."

"That too is against the law."

" Can I marry one of his friends?"

" I guess you could if you wanted too."

"No I think I'll marry Mittens (the cat.)"

More wine please!

Ski-ing

It was definitely time for a flop weekend & boy what a wonderful one we had!

We went to Sugar Bush in VT for the weekend & stayed with our cousins....3 adults, 6 kids , 4 dogs & the neighbours daughter too. Unfortunately she was not a nanny at only 5 years old!

We arrived in the dark to a large rustic old house & in the morning we went straight to the mountain.

Approaching the resort, I looked up at what appeared to be a cross between Kilimanjaro & Mount Everest & my heart sank. What the hell was I thinking!!! Of course, as I had been so busy putting the world to rights, I had done zilch research on the ski resort.

Let me explain, we can ski & that is about it, none of the fancy parallel or turns stuff,never mind going onto a mountain that may require survival skills!

We were way out of our league!

Not only was it monstrous but all of the "slim beautiful people in the world" dressed in designer gear were all happily marching towards the lifts.

I said to Sir L.."oh my god what were we thinking...do you think that this lot will know our gear is from Walmart?"

His response "No as they have never been in one!"

Anyway after I had gotten over my "Walmart" & "I am the only person on the mountain wearing my daughters old stripey bobble hat" I had a great time.

One advantage of having a strong northern English accent is that for some reason the Americans love it so they can look past my "special bobble hat" & think that it is quaint!

Well the 4 year old can now ski. He looks like a helmet with attached little legs as he bombs down the mountain hardly turning, screaming "Wheeeeee!"

The 9 & 11 year old just loved it & abandoned their parents at every available opportunity.

We did have a few tantrums "en piste" which are special as you cannot just pick them up & throw them in the car, or bribe with a treat..oh yes they definitely have the upper hand on the slopes.

As I was trying to reason with the 4 year old that he needed to get up off the snow & ski down the mountain a lovely ski patrol man came to my rescue...bless you Milo! He picked him up, put his ski's back together all without falling over...very impressive...again bless you Milo! Then he skied down the mountain & had my brat follow him. Of course he did exactly as he was told the horror!

I love Milo!

The best was when I tried to get off the lift with my little one for the first time. I asked the ski lift people to slow the lift down as we got to the top as he weighs a ton with the ski's & helmet on. Unfortunately the message did not get relayed & I am waiting to see if I am famous & appear on America's funniest video's!

What a fiasco. I tried to "put him off the lift & onto the snow" whilst balancing my poles & myself...disaster!

I dropped the poor child who screamed blue murder. I got my poles caught on the chair lift & I was dangling off whilst the darn thing kept on moving....I though the end was nigh! I realised much to my dismay I would have to let go. I did & fell onto a pile of ice & cracked my head...ouch it hurt!

After what seemed like 10 minutes of humiliation the lift person came to our rescue! Followed by a tantrum "I'm not ski-ing with you as you dropped me"....worst mother of the year award 2008 here we come!

The second time I had it down to a tee......just as well or the child services would have taken him at the end of the run!

Was it all worth it...oh yes.

Need a battery charger??

Well here I am dragging myself through the rigorous routine of life running on fresh air & no energy.

Having a "the world is against me week."

First of all we overslept by an hour on Monday morning...not a pleasant way to start the week. Panically stuffing any food into lunch boxes & throwing kids out of the door half dressed into 3 feet of snow!

Followed by dinner that was to be a turkey stir fry...however the turkey smelt rather odd & had to be chucked at the last minute. So it turned into cabbage, corn &,broccoli with rice!!!!

"Yuck" I hear you say...you are so right.

Bless my darling kids who will eat anything as long as I cover it in cheese!

They could tell that I was a mess & so they ate it!

They did get candy for dessert!!!

Bribery always works!

I have to say if only there was a restaurant that would deliver or even a pizza delivery service it would have been nice! Oh for the comforts of the city or even civilisation.

I did cheer up after watching "The Vicar of Dibley" as it is hysterical.

Then yesterday I had to put the medical insurance company in its place after they had billed me mega thousands which was incorrect. Then to speak to the provider to hear their side of the story, then relay it back to the insurance company. I have never met such a screwed up medical system that costs the earth to belong to yet no-one ever seems to agree on what to pay! Apparently you can charge what you like & leave it to the patient to argue & fight over who pays what! Then send the patient a credit agency letter & you are all set!

OH how I miss the N.H.S. of the U.K. with its old hospitals, chipped paintwork, terrible food yet no bills!

Today I had to register for college..more mega money. How can a book I need on "The Growth of a Child" cost $125.00? I have grown & fed three kids from scratch plus half the neighborhood kids (not with the cabbage rice dish!) I could have written the darn book!!!

It is time for my mums remedy in these cases..off for a hot bath, good book & bed!

Cheerio!

Superwoman

I had an "I am a superwoman" day on Friday...I booked a vacation for February as the cold is setting into my bones & I need to be defrosted before a severe case of cabin fever sets in. Confirmed a weekend away at a cousins for this weekend, baked a lasagna, 24 muffins & a homemade quiche....take that Rachael Ray! As well as working & running kids to a party.


I was still "superwomaning" on Saturday... a class at the gym, 2 basketball matches, appointments, pick ups from sleepovers, washing and then I came to do the dishes...(they were from last night!) Superwoman had "peaked" early!

Unfortunately there was no hot water! Panic had just started to set in when Sir L jumped to the rescue.......20 mins later hot water & sighs of relief everywhere!!

Today "superwoman" has curled up in a ball & collapsed with no energy, little patience & it has to be said lots of attitude!

FRUSTRATION has played a dominant part of to days proceedings. PC issues...all day. kids squabbling and very little achieved.

Oh well maybe tomorrow will be little better.

Snowmen.

This is what happens when you live in this much snow for too long! The snowmen just get bigger & bigger!

Mummy Moments

"Here is a penny for you as you look after me good" says my 4 year old...yes we are still working on the grammar!

Another year begins.

So I am actually feeling a little stumped about what to write or do with myself as now we are all back to school & work. It is almost as if Christmas never happened.

Of course we started the New Year in New Hampshire style.....a snow delay of 2 hours for the kids...how much more snow can we take?????

The beauty of another year is that you can buy "Xmas stuff" on sale. I am married to a Yorkshire man! (For those of you who are not of English descent, Yorkshire men are not well known for opening their wallets! The only "tighter folk" are the Scots who have rusty wallets!)

I meant to buy these dancing stars just before Xmas however I got distracted in the shop & forgot. I bought them yesterday & they were a third off the original price... at true bargain which makes for a contented husband!

Now they can dance between my tulips.....one season mixing with another. That is if NH ever gets to see grass again!