My toddler Max is a funny little fellow. Lately he walks around all day humming songs out loud. I guess he is actually singing, but to us it sounds like humming because he doesn’t actually use real words. He just loves — LOVES — songs. So, if he is feeling a bit grouchy, or if you are changing his diaper [...]
Archive for the ‘Tales’ Category
March 23rd, 2010
The March Break Highlight
So, all the Ontario kidlets are now back to school. I hope most of you were able to enjoy some March Break relaxation.
Things here have been busy for me (as I’m sure it is for other Ottawa local readers since government fiscal year-end = lots to do and all on by an immovable deadline of March 31st). Wouldn’t it be great [...]
March 19th, 2010
Ottawa’s NAC & staying relevant
We’re about the same age, the National Arts Centre (NAC) and I. It would seem that, like most of us, the NAC’s biggest fans are its parents — the generation that created and brought this centre to life.
But there’s no doubt about it, its biggest fans are getting older. The people who are their most loyal subscribers will soon be retiring from their seats [...]
March 18th, 2010
Only one more sleep …
…until I get to put my arms around my baby sister again!
She’s coming back home for a short holiday, and I can’t wait! (To learn more about her life in Korea, you can visit Letter from South Korea: Part 1 and Letter from South Korea: Part 2.)
March 8th, 2010
This is normal, right?
Over the breakfast table this morning.
Me: So, Stella. Anything in particular you want to get up to on March Break?
Stella: Yes. I want to smash a toilet!
Me: [blank stare]
Hubby: I told her I’d make it happen.
Me: [more blank staring]
Stella: Yeah, it’s going to be great!
March 7th, 2010
The Winter Resolution series: Bush party! (shhhh … pass it on)
When I was a teenager, every so often word would spread that a “bush party” was going to take place on the weekend. Unlike the “house party” which took place at some poor unsuspecting parent’s home while they were away, a “bush party” involved no house, just a location in the woods somewhere.
The two types of parties still shared some [...]
March 3rd, 2010
Maybe a puppy wasn’t such a bad idea, after all?
Last year, we lost Riley. Riley was our family dog. The puppy my husband and I adopted the summer we moved into our first home together. We had Riley for five years before any children came along. And in total, we had Riley in our lives for a decade. For anyone who’s had a pet, you know what kind of [...]
March 1st, 2010
The Winter Resolution series: I did it!
The last item on my winter resolution list was: “Go on winter hike in the Adirondack mountain range.”
It certainly seemed a lofty goal for a book-worm gal like me, but hey, I put it out there in writing on my blog and while I don’t mind being a private wimp, I don’t like being a public wimp. So off we [...]
February 26th, 2010
Forgiveness
My daughter celebrated the sacrament of first reconciliation this week. This is one of a series of sacraments that one progresses through in the life of a Catholic, which start with baptism and continue on to marriage. For this sacrament, one confesses their sins and then one receives forgiveness from God.
Although I find myself unable to believe in a God [...]
February 23rd, 2010
Faking It
During an interview with Kira Vermond, who pens a column called “The Money Shrink” for Chatelaine magazine, I explained to her that I had sworn off saying “I’m not good with numbers” … or variations thereof.
Not only does it sound dippy and stereotypical, but it’s not true. Sure, I’m no math genius. But I’m also not completely inept either. In fact, I’d [...]
February 5th, 2010
Hyper Parents & Coddled Kids
Did you catch this CBC documentary yesterday?
I got a heads-up from Ann Douglas’ blog at parentcentral.ca that it was coming and I was intrigued. In her review, Douglas concludes that this “hyper-parenting” phenomenon is largely a thing of the past:
The documentary is worth watching, if only as a reminder of where we’ve been and how far we’ve come in rejecting the [...]
February 2nd, 2010
The Winter Resolution series: The Shilly Shally
Ah, the infamous Shilly Shally. Stella has been raving about the charm of the Shilly Shally for years now. I’m not sure if she goes on about it unconsciously or as a conscious attempt to convince me to go cross-country skiing with her and hubby. Either way, I have always responded with something along the lines of “Have a special [...]
January 28th, 2010
An Ode to a Teacher
If you live in Ontario, you still have a few days left to submit a nomination to the Premier’s Teaching Awards for Excellence. Just being nominated means the world for a hard-working teacher!
Below is my nomination and a public shout-out to a special teacher in our daughter’s life. Please feel free to use my comments section to share your thoughts [...]
January 24th, 2010
I buzzed over to Montreal this weekend
To push myself up into the higher ranks of the Mother-of-the-Year contest, I took Stella to Montreal this weekend. Yes, we went shopping and got Mommy & Me pedi’s & mani’s!
Did I have you convinced — even momentarily — on that one? Okay, okay. We know my Stella would never entertain such notions. But I did go to Montreal.
And I [...]
January 21st, 2010
Julie visits the ER
It’s not too often that one gets to do something for the first time after 38 years on this earth. But through a combination of good luck and conscientious avoidance, I have never had a visit to the ER. Yesterday, however, I was initiated to life in the ER. I spent from 7 am to 3 pm there — 8 [...]
