Archive | November 2006

It Never Snows it Storms!

It did not seem appropriate to say it never rains it pours LOL. I got a call from the government today – Child Tax I think, long story short I am STILL dealing with this error on our form from February. They still think we owe $670.00 and are now saying it is cuz Ken and I both got paternity/maternity leave at the same time for a couple months which was not allowed??? Funny thing – I did not fill out the forms – we went to a GOVERNMENT office and had them do it for us. We know we did not go over our weeks and as it was explained to us it was not WHEN you took the time but how many weeks in total. JOY… the woman even told me NOT to call my MLA as it will not do any good – so guess what was the first thing I did after I called my mom to see if she had any advice – called my MLA. The lady in the office I talked to there I think was the one I called when this big mess started 9 months ago. She said it sounded wrong to her – that we can take them at the same time, so she is going to look into it for me. Ken is going to go back to the office we had fill out the forms in 2003/4 and talk to them and I called the payment people to see if I can negotiate lower payments. Don’t get me wrong – if we do owe the money I want to pay it back, but I was told all along NOT to pay any. And they have records of me calling over and over again at all of these offices. The people at the payment number are really nice and not actually EI. Very understanding, the woman in charge of my file is gone until Wednesday next week so I am to call back then and try and get, if nothing else, a lower payment set up than almost $300.00… poor Ken is going to be working this second job forever!
On a happier note – Ken’s supervisors have suggested he run their pc parts online store for them. This is under their other company, and would bring in some added money! Something he can do from home at least. That does not mean he can give up Superstore but it will add to us getting caught up.
Last night Ken put up our twinkle lights in the livingroom. Multi coloured ones, the boys love them! They are strung all over the room. So now we need to put up the tree which is still in storage. It has been way too cold for us to go over there and get it. Hopefully this weekend though. Ken also has to take the cans and bottles into the depot.
Tonight we finished shopping for all of the kids except Emanuel – I want to get him one more small item. That leaves the more difficult couples/adults. But the end is in sight. I have 2 batches of cookie dough made up, to bake hopefully tomorrow, although I also have to make my potatoe baby food and some more applesauce. I would like to make extra to have in the freezer though I am not sure I have enough jars. I am using old babyfood jars and with the little amount of space here we did not keep a ton. I may have to find another way to get some small jars…
Ken works again tonight. Last night Emanuel gave me HUGE problems after he had gone. I think he is still a little off balance from Monday and being woken up and scared. Poor little man. So we are just trying to be as patient as possible and make sure he goes into that crib to sleep. He rolls way too much to sleep in our bed anyway.
Hmm other than that I really need to get my presents wrapped, the cards are basically done and ready to be sent. Now we just need to make some decisions about Christmas parties and travelling, I know that if the weather stays this horribly cold we will definately NOT be going to my mom’s family’s Christmas. It is an hour and a half away and I do not want us on the roads if they are this icy and cold. Since mom’s boyfriend is off that day she has offered to just take the twins but if the roads are iffy I am not even going to do that! The joys of a real Alberta winter…

Smoke, Fire Alarms and an Amazing Neighbor

Today was a bit of a traumatic day – it all started to go a little crazy when Ken left for the city to go to an appointment… he had to drive very carefully but made it safely there and back. However, soon after he left the fire alarm in the building went off… when I opened the door to see what was going on all you could see was smoke billowing down from the upstairs 3rd floor… luckily our truly wonderful next door neighbor had not left early for class and was just getting out of her place and was able to help me get the kids out. She grabbed Emanuel out of his crib and started bundling while I got started on the twins. No socks, half asleep and scared out of their minds…luckily in the midst of scurrying around the upstairs neighbor (yes the same one of previous troubled posts) came down to tell us it was NOT a fire just oil left on the stove too long… way too close to a fire for me. The smoke was still VERY thick and the kids already coughing so the neighbor and I bundled them up and she was kind enough to drive us to my mother’s. Poor Gavin cried and since he hates snow I had to carry him, Zander was a trooper and walked right out and the neighbor carried Emanuel. Add to that the snowsuits for the kids were in the van on the way to the city !!! geeze… at first when I was trying to call mom and we were unsure of what exactly was going on I could not get her on the phone but I did find my copy of her house keys. She was out shovelling in this freezing cold weather. So the twins missed their nap and Emanuel was woken from a dead sleep by the neighbor and I managed to grab baby food and diapers but not change my pj shirt. After the scare I did pull on jeans, almost walked out the door with no coat but hey we managed… this was one of my biggest fears – what would happen if there was a fire and I was home alone and I managed…
I did call the landlord when I got to mom’s, in the apartment under me there is a nurse, her daughter and her mother… my neighbor knew that the mother and her little girl were gone for a visit somewhere but not if the mother was home so I suggested to the office they go make sure as that smoke was rather strong. What got me is that the mother of the girl upstairs (the girl started this mess) went to work! My neighbor told her to call the landlord and she said she would from work… the main fire alarm went off!!! I would rather she had stuck around. Add to that the girl asked me when I was getting the boys ready to go out if she could use our stroller to prop open the downstairs door to air the place out… not a word of apology for the whole thing. Yay…
So life goes on and I am pretty sure tomorrow will be easier… Good Lord I hope so!

Traveling Circus Goes to the City…

Have you ever had a situation where there is a crossroad where either answer can be both good and bad? Where you have no idea what to wish or pray for?? I feel like that is where I am at right now.. so what can I do but pray for God to help us toward the decision of the greater good for my family in the long run… right?
I remember being in highschool, dealing with my parent’s divorce and then having to move in with my mom thinking geeze life must be simpler when you are an adult… when decisions are your own and not made between your parents… HA HA… now *I* am the parent and the one with the choices to make. I thank God every day that I am not alone in that. Ken is a rock in situations where I feel like I am about to be blown away, he is alot less emotional than I am… rational and logical. Thank goodness!
We spent today in the city… we had a lovely visit with the Den Otters… Isabella is growing up so quickly and Alan’s sister Rachel and her husband Darren were there visiting – she is pregnant with their first! It was really a nice visit though the weather was terribly cold… -22 celcius….Brrrrrr
Ken is at his second shift at his night job at Superstore. Another 11-3. Not too bad – some manual labour… no uniform and best of all he does not have to deal with people. LOL His first shift was last night so we was a little tired today and tomorrow we most likely will not be at church but the money will be nice. He works Friday, Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights all 11-3. Not our first choice but it will get us caught up.
Hmm it is midnight now and the kids are asleep, I really should truck off that way too… tomorrow we are dropping the twins off at my mom’s instead of a nap (so early to bed for them) to get some cleaning done and a little shopping. We also have to start making our Christmas cookies. So much to do and so little time.