I guess I can choose whether to laugh or cry....

Evelyn has a Fairytale pop-up that she enjoys reading quite regularly. In the Hansel and Gretle tale, as you turn the page, a witch pops up from inside the famed cottage in the woods. EVERYTIME THE WITCH POPS UP, my darling daughter says, 'That's mommy...Hi mommy!"

Mid-January in Southwestern Ontario

Quotables

As said by Evelyn Rose when she first set eyes on the mighty waters of the Grand River:

"I need a boat."

A witness to the development of language

Those of you who listen to me ramble on endlessly about Evelyn already know of her advanced linguistic ability.

Over the past month, she's learned and implemented the proper usage of possessive nouns. I couldn't help but giggle with delight yesterday when she sauntered over to Cory (who was busy patching the hardwood floor) and pulls the chisel out of his hand, looks him square in the face and says mine's - as if there were any doubt whatsoever that every single thing in this house belongs to her.

Time at home

It's been a while since I updated! The truth is, I've just been so busy that I haven't had a moment to sit, reflect, and be inspired to write anything.

We had a nice christmas with the opportunity to visit with both sides of the family. Evelyn was able to actually 'bond' with Cory's parents this time around, and spent most of christmas eve leading papa around the house so he could get some real insight into how it is she spends her time.

In fact, papa spent so much time in Evelyn's kitchen heating bottles, pouring coffee, and checking the timer that he had little time to do much else.

We checked out the Chagall for Children exhibit at the Children's Museam and I don't know who liked it more! It's completely interactive, and provides the opportunity to compose music, weave, complete paintings, and apply Chagall-y techniques to your own photo! Very cool.

Do you see a resemblance?

I don't like mondays

This morning was a perfect example of why things like this happen.

Luckily I have just a little more self control and have resolved all of today's issues and it's only 3:00 pm.

For lunch, I had an expired yogurt mixed in a bowl with Special K. If you never hear from me again, at least you'll know why.

A protrait of beauty

Hands free

I've freed myself from the restrictions of the traditional purse and moved on to something that says "HEY - I'M ALL ABOUT FUNCTION". It's a wallet, it's a camera bag, it holds my lunch AND Evelyn's necessities....."

agua

We are all sick and my throat feels like the desert. Cory and I had NO energy last night to entertain Evelyn, so we went to the mall and let her run around looking at everything.

Her favourite store was Sport Check - where she actually took a pair of children's ski's, sat on top of them, and tried to ride them like a sled. Cory was so excited - but then slightly disappointed when he learned that the smallest size ski boot is a 12. Evelyn is a 5. Now, I can't recall how kid sizes work so I have no solid estimate on how long it will take her to get to a 12 - but looking at the boot, I would say at least 2 years.

At least we'll know what to get her for christmas the year her feet are a size 12.

Shamed by my own hypocrisy

And you can't even see the cowboy boots in this picture.

See http://theroostersbeak.blogspot.com/2006/07/my-rule-of-thumb-when-dressing-baby.html

Well put...

Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears.
~ Edgar Allen Poe~

There's nothing quite as appetizing as this...

So. Cory is upstairs putting Evelyn to bed and I decide to take a moment to download pictures from the new and improved camera. I hear this bang bang bang on the door that makes me kind of afraid to go and look to see who it is - because you know, we have a doorbell and IT didn't ring. SO I peek around the corner and see the neighbour's dog, so figure it's safe to answer the door.

It IS the neighbour. Standing out there, at the god-forsaken hour of 9pm, wielding two zip lock bags in each of which resides a thawed bloody roast.

"Want to buy some meat? A friend of mine got a deal! Catch is...you can't refreeze it".

Ummm yeah. I want to buy some meat. I also want want to spend the next week glued to the toilet with my head in a bucket puking my guts out.

Catching up

It's been a while since I've found the time or the inclination to write anything semi-personal on this blog. The truth is - it's been a crazy few months! We're busy trying to complete (most of) the main floor before Christmas. While there is still a lot of work to do, we can now see it coming together - which is very rewarding. (Maybe next summer we'll do the basement? Or maybe we'll buy a few thousand trees and plant them at the farm? So much to do).

My personal journey to become a complete person continues (as it does, because the moment you stop trying is the moment you become less complete). It's amazing, when you get into the habit, how clearly you can reflect on yourself, your life, your actions, your reactions - and the insight it gives you into other people.

My new job is fantastic. I really enjoy it (for now? that can change so fast). I appreciate the fact that I can walk to work in the morning, have enough to do to keep me busy all day, and get to delve into new avenues of communication.

The weekend flew by as usual. Thanks for the coffee/cake/talk B.

Encounters with nature at work

A few inspired moments I had whilst walking between the two offices....

Getting into the spirit of things...

As usual, we had a spectacular weekend, one thing aside. The wallpaper has beaten my spirit into a sticky and gooey pulp.

A tongue

Evelyn has recently become obsessed with her tongue - seeing how far she can stick it out, touching it, licking her lips, and running it all over her mouth full of teeth.

We are enjoying my favourite season (meaning halloween) and getting 'into' the spookiness of it all.

We have way too many house projects on the go - and I predict another 6 months of hell before we actually get anywhere close to livable.

I am now an employee of Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. I am the 'Communication Materials Producer' and this includes everything from website design and copy, advertising, graphic design, promotional materials, information packages, educational materials etc etc etc.

A heart-warming surprise

The best kind of friend is one you've had your whole life.

The trouble with time

It's hard to believe that I can hardly find the time to download my photos, sort through them, publish some, and write about what I've been up to. It's really hard to believe - but that is the way it is.

We spent Thanksgiving in Havelock at Cory's brother/sister-in-laws cottage. The weather WAS the quintessence of an indian summer and permeated this kind of a notion that you never, ever want to leave this place. That you'd like to freeze this moment in time forever, and just relive it again and again.

Evelyn enjoyed the rocky terrain of the Canadian Shield, the ride across the lake in the pontoon and the exploration of the uninhibited island lush with wild cranberries. She was so excited to first hear, and then see the woodpecker causing a ruckus and listening to the crickets later in the evening.

Watching her delight in nature and the opportunity to share it with her family was remarkable. "Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....quissets...shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" [translation: Shhhhhhh.........crickets....shhhhhhhhhhh].

As an aside, I stayed up too late last night watching part of the Courtney Love biography. What a life she's had. Pretty interesting - and she's got a lot more nerve/courage than I'll ever have. Anyway...it prompted me to google Frances Bean to see what she's been up to...I came across an interview in which she mentioned her love for Mariah Carey. MARIAH CAREY! Oh the humanity. I know. I know - everyone is entitled to their preferences.

Evelyn in the wild, yet again