Well the second half of the week was VERY busy. We made a day trip to a lovely zoo 3 hours from here but were unable to stay the night and visit with my family there. I think the plan is to make a family trip in November to see my grandma, cousins, uncles, aunts and hopefully my brother again. Something even bigger than the zoo or missing family – my brother made it! Pure luck I swear but we managed to chose a day (rather last minute really for my sort of planning) and it just happened to be one of James’ days off!! He works 3 on 3 off so planning anything with him is tricky. He had a blast with the boys – hanging out, pushing the empty double stroller, chatting – it was one of our best visits to date. Uncle James spoiled his nephews by buying them a train set!! So this morning the focus was 110% on TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN. We are hoping to find more of the wooden track and maybe buy one of those low tables and screw track down and make a stationary set to decrease argument and have something the boys can play with all the time!
Hmm lets back up first off all – Thursday’s physical went well, though I am 108 lbs so she wants me to gain 12 lbs to get to where I should be… they also decided to check my iron levels in the blood tests since I have been having symptoms of anemia again. So more iron enriched foods and eat more period. It is hard to gain weight when you are constantly chasing kids and forgetting meals. So I am going to try and find foods that I can munch on when the boys are napping and whatnot.
Wednesday Shandai was in the country! She met us on our way to going to Superstore for our weekly groceries and spent a few hours over at our house. It was great to see her again though the visit was rather short. She is working at a couple of bookstores in Minnesota – one at the airport, dancing, singing and still painting. Running too! Sounds like she is rather involved in quite a few things though no concrete future plans so we shall see how things turn out for her. I am hoping that next time she visits we could maybe plan to do something – go somewhere with the kids or out for dinner. Who knows. It was great to catch up though.
Friday was nice… the boys and I got up the energy and walked all the way to my mom’s we did it at a rather quick pace so made it in under 30 min including stopping to watch a real train go by – something they are STILL asking to see again! Then we hung out at her sandbox while the city dug a hole in her yard to move a gas meter outside… then off to BabyLove to return some anime videos and play with their little train. A favorite with the boys (and a train much like the one Uncle James got them!!) Stop off at Extra Foods where we ran into my mom’s sister… we don’t hear from her much (family issues) but she was looking well… then home for a yummy lunch of homemade meatballs and mashed potatoes. The boys were rather tired at this point (Emanuel had napped in the stroller and the bugger had spit out his binky! One less binky now ARGH) but the neighbor kids came over – I was so happy to see Zander talking to the little girl and the both of them participating fully in play! What a wonderful progression… By 3pm the boys were cranky and I was about ready to start the walk home, slower and with one fall by Gavin we got home after over 30 min. The boys crashed HARD and I had a little bit of time to clean and pack some of our zoo trip (yes I had a list – big surprise – NOT). Walking all the way to mom’s was fine but turning around and walking back like I would walking that far to stores… not so much. The boys needed the break at grandma’s to do as they wanted. But those little legs really do get a work out!
Oh – this week Ken had his 3 month review. Apparently they are very happy with him and the HR guy suggested he might work 1 day a week from home what with his having to drive so much and us not finding a place in our budget yet… outside of the city (ok so we may have to relax that one and look in the south end for a place – though this is JUST a rental, we are set on waitign to buy and finding a place we want WHERE we want!). So I am thinking if he does do that we could have a family breaky once a week and then either we walk or he drops us off at the library for a couple hours – he could work then, then home for lunch and then naps for the boys… that way he gets work done AND the kids have fun! I may even get up the courage to walk all the way to pay the rent myself! That is over a block or two further than the boys have walked on a morning walk and I am unsure of how Gavin is going to take it. Usually by the time we hit the postal outlet a block past our usual dollar store walk Gavin is wanting to go home and the rental office is another 2-3 blocks away!
You know I have even more confidence in our harnesses after the zoo! The twins had freedom and never once did they get bumped into or fall like other kids did. We didn’t have to get upset with them or yell… we all had fun! I did buy one for Emanuel – they now have them in Canada at Walmart but slightly different – the pocket on the back is velcrow now instead of a zipper but he didn’t use his. Oh yah – Thursday we also had the boys have their birthday present pictures with my mom! It actually did not go half bad, they wore the matching shirts their Nana and Baba sent them and though we had to tickle Zander to get him to smile in his picture with just him, Gavin and mom (I am pretty sure you can see my hand there) they turned out really nice. I will have to scan them or take a picture of them to post. We pick them up on the 13th. Thank goodness Karyn came up too that day to help out… it is hard to keep the kids contained in dr’s office (new one which is VERY nice and has a wonderful play area) and then the blood services place (no toys but such a nice new office with little almost cubicles you sit at that has all the stuff they need) and then Walmart as well. With the big boys nap free at that time *cringe*.
Oh Karyn has news!!! She got a new job! Still in Library services but it means she moves. to the other side of us but the same distance away – so no longer in the big city! But a year contract working with smaller librarys and such. So exciting!!! She starts beginning of next month!!!
Esther is back in the province and also was at the zoo with us. We missed her! Kathy and her brother and her roommate with her kids and neice all also made it. We went to see Kathy’s new rental and had chinese for dinner mmmm. They live like a house or so away from a park and have a nice yard so the boys were in heaven!!! All in all busy half week but so worthwhile. Now I just need to start figuring out our family trip to see family! There is that wee baby cousin (Hailey) to see… It is hard when the boys do not sleep well away and Ken needed some down time before heading back to work on Monday. All the driving gets to him so today is a much quieter day – we have to head off to a grocery store though to get the beef to make my step-mom’s DELICIOUS beef and gravy in the slow cooker tomorrow. I am salivating just thinking about it!!!
I had a bit of a dry spell with my sewing – a couple of days of no motivation and then BANG back in the swing of things, though I cannot post any of my finished stuff since they are all for people who have access to this site and Facebook… I am determined to make my Christmas goal. Which means I need to hunt down patterns for more than a few gifts – though nothing extremely complex… I have 3 little boys to finish and then I think I am done all the kids’ gifts… the adults are just a question of making decisions on patterns… I know I am seeing more than half done it is just I keep ADDING to the list ACK!! hmm I also need to get the boys to sign this coming month’s birthday cards to send off and get together the birthday gift for my sister. Oh so much to do! But you know this kind of busy is a GOOD busy! Well off to bathe and maybe get some tidying done – I am still attempting to fix from the repairs done. No church today since Emanuel is fast asleep – poor baby missed his nap yesterday but Sunday school starts in September and moving or not I am putting them in here! Off I go….