To Nag or not to Nag....

How did my parents do it? How did they manage to raise my sister and myself without nagging? Why can I not stop nagging? I tell myself to shut up. The ladies tell me to shut up. The kids have just learned to tune me out. (they are too polite to tell me to shut up, lol!) I know they will survive as Hubby and I have faith in our ability to raise them. So, here is the question........ do I now go upstairs to wake the older one so he is not late for work. (he has already slept through two different alarms, not an uncommon event)? Hmmmmmm......

Catch up Fridays

(Sunshine) Its been such a busy week around here, no time to just sit back and enjoy life. We are leaving for Calgary in a few hours so I will relax when we get there tonight. I hope that you girls had a good week and I look forward to seeing you both soon. (Carolin)Have a great time. I find it funny as you leave to Calgary my family arrives here from Calgary. Yes, it is chaos in my house right now! We have an extra 9 people all competing for beds and showers. My baby brother is getting married this Sunday and all are in a flutter! Trips to the airport are happening daily as family and friends arrive from around the world.
(Cathy) I too am hoping to get to Calgary soon. I am just wishing to go on a plane, period! Sunshine, have a great time! Enjoy the mountains! Carolin, I am sure you will all have a great time and the wedding will come off beautifully! Enjoy! (did you make the cake???)
I have been in the garden and have really done little else this past week. Summer school is out for the younger one. He was very successful and we are so proud! We are still waiting for the phone call from the in car driving instructor to set up a schedule for the older one.
We are going to Jerkfest with family on Saturday. I am looking forward to some good food and music and a time to visit.


Have wonderful weekend!!!!!

Catch Up Fridays

(Cathy) Hiya ladies! I just saw an advertisement on t.v. for the movie, "The Help". We have to go and see it! We need to organize a movie night. Let me know what works! I hope it's good! I'm in lets try and go sooner rather then later. (Carolin) I read the book a year or so ago and liked it so I am in for the movie as well.


Carolin, how was your week at camp? How did the little one do? Carolin I hope that you all had a really good time. The week went well, the littel one stayed in the cabin with her age group all week. Thursday was only tough day for her, she had four different meltdowns. But besides that all went well she didn't want to leave when the week was over. She even mastered tubing and wakeboarding this summer. Now if we could convince her to try watersking again.



These questions remind me of an episode of Veggie Tales, "Josh and the Big Wall". When they take a break from the main show and show, "Silly songs with Larry". Do you remember, "The song of the Sayboo" (I hope I spelled that right.) (I am now singing..... that episode was one of my favourites!) (Sunshine) Veggie Tales, wow that takes me way back. I am sure that we have some of those VHS tapes around this house somewhere. What are you talking about? Sorry haven't watched a veggie tale in years as the little one never really liked them.


So, what did I do this week? Work was still frustrating. I cannot stand how people are being treated. It's just not right. Thursday was a bit better. Let's hope things are turning for the good. I heard something on the radio about Obama and parties where back to discussions. So hopefully the states will get its act together. It is interesting and a little scary to watch a country that was number one in the world so quickly fall apart. It also scares me on which country will be number one next.



My back seems to be better so I, finally, did an hour workout on Wednesday. It felt soooo good! I still need to work on eating less. Less of everything! I have cut down on my portions, however, when the food tastes so good I just want a second helping. I am so glad that you are finally starting to feel better. Just for the record, I think that you look great!!








Here is a question for ladies in or nearing menopause. (I know Carolin, this is not your favourite topic) What do you ladies do to deal with the various symptoms? Do you go the hormone medical route or is there a natural route? Does anything help or do we just need to relax and let Mother Nature do her thing? Do the majority of women experience symptoms? What symptoms are you experiencing Cathy? I have had very irregular and lengthily menstrual periods and they have caused me some problems but the doctor says that I am not showing any signs of menopause as of yet according to my blood work. I have to say that being put on this low dose 'pill' has helped me so much. It took a while to work its magic but all of a sudden I am regular and have a period that is a normal 5 - 7 days long. It is wonderful. I am already moody at times so I am a little afraid to know what changes to expect when I am actually in menopause. I too don't know what symptoms you are talking about, I have noticed nothing. Every thing is as it has been for years.


Thanks for taking the time to answer.


These summer weeks are passing by way to fast for my liking. Each day is busy and my house still needs some major cleaning. I did a lot of cleaning the first week that I was off (my closet in particular) and that's where it ended. The day to day cleaning and straightening up keeps me so busy that there is no time for the deep cleaning that really needs to be done. Will I ever catch up or have a house as clean as my mom's always was? I think that this house is too busy to ever really be sparkling clean yet somehow my mom managed to do it all. I wonder will my kids feel that I did it all when they get older and have there own homes to take car of? Clean why bother, I don't know if that is what i want me kids to remember of there childhood summers. I do what i can and don't sweat the other stuff. If someone comes and feels my house isn't clean enough for them then tough don't come back. But on the other hand if they come and have a good time and feel comfortable then that is good.

I am packing once again to spend a few days in Port Stanley at a friends cottage. The Little one and I we are looking forward to it. Laying in the sun on the beach all day, eating ice cream at Broderick's each night. it is always relaxing and fun. See you all when I get back. :)

Enjoy the long weekend!



Happy Birthday to Cathy's Husband from all of us friends and bloggers (also friends).

Catch Up Fridays

It's hot!!!!!!!!

I love this weather, however, I have to say that even for me it's now too hot! We have now turned on the air conditioning. The pool is even too hot. It's at 92 F! It feels like a bathtub and no one wants to go in. Hubby actually added water to cool it down! I want to do laundry, however, I don't want to put my drain on the power grid. I think I will wait for the evening and do my usual wash in cold and hang outside to dry. (Sunshine) I don't understand how you lasted this long without AC. It is so hot and the only relief that I find is inside with the AC blasting. (Carolin) I too have broke down and turned my AC on as well. I would prefer to have the bedroom windows open at night but there seems to be know relief this week.

I am not even hungry. I have no idea what to make for dinner. I really, really, do not want to make pizza! I am also running out of water from within my three rain barrels. I hope it rains in the next week or two. Why do you have to make pizza? It is suppose to rain tonight and tomorrow, yippee! I don't understand the connection between pizza and rain. And if you don't want to make it then don't. Make something else or just order it. We had potato salad (made it last night) and Italian sausage on the BBQ. My great deal sausage regularly $2.99 for 4 sausage's had a $2.00 off coupon so they only cost .99 cents!!!

I just reread what I have just written. I can tell my mind is moving fast from one thought to another. After all, what does not wanting to make pizza for dinner have to do with rain barrels??? Are you one some new drug or something?

I hope to see the ladies Friday morning. (I am writing this Thursday afternoon). Thanks for having us over today Cathy. I know that it was a short time as we couldn't stay very long but it was a lot of fun catching up with you girls. You both always make me laugh and having the kids in the conversations is a lot of fun too. The dish you made, I will call it potato hash, was so good. Thanks for taking the time to cook for us and turn on your oven on such a hot day. Yeah thanks Cathy for the grub and pool. And lay off the son you sound like me now. I was thinking when I left that if it makes you feel better why don't you make an appointment with his Guidance teacher and have all your questions and concerns answered in reference to university.

On another note, if anyone is thinking of flying to the USA from Toronto International Airport, please arrive at least three hours in advance of your flight. The line ups are just too stupid!!! (ok, that's enough...I do not want to think about work anymore!)

I have some cousins and my family over for the day tomorrow and another group on Sunday but Sunday is not confirmed as of yet. It will be more of a spur of the moment thing depending on how tired I am after Saturday. We have my sisters late husband's 10 year memorial mass on Sunday and there will be quite a few people there, if I am not too tired, I will invite them over after mass for lunch and a swim. My sister has already said that she is coming regardless even though I have said that I will probably just come home and rest. So I have a question, if your sister was to remarry ever would you all have to still go to a memorial mass each year for her late first husband? Would a remarriage trump a memorial mass?

August is just around the corner so you know what that means, its almost time to go back to school and back to work. No!!!!!!!!!!!!! I did see back to school specials in some flyers today namely Zellers and Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

So next week the little one and I are off to camp for a week. Please pray the little one will sleep all week in a girls cabin and not with me. She is telling me she will sleep with the other girls but wants to change her clothes in my cabin.

The husband and I just got back from the movies. We went to see Horriable Bosses. It was funny but lots of cursing, I am not a big fan of Jennifer Aniston (maybe cause she plays the same character in all her movies) but this time she was different. Very raunchy but funny and she almost totaly pulled it off.

Stay cool and hydrated everyone!

Catch Up Fridays

(Sunshine) How is everyone doing? What a beautiful week we are having. The weather has been great and it really feels like summer. I wish that we could all be off work and enjoy life all year round without all the hustle and bustle and schedules and responsibilities. I am on total vacation mode.

I am looking forward to seeing,"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: part 2," today. In a way, I almost don't want to see it because the end has arrived and there is nothing else to look forward to in the series but I suppose that everything has to come to an end sooner or later. I know some people who have seen it and they said that it is spectacular! (Carolin) I was never much of a Potter fan, I did see the first one but haven't seen any of the others. I think a lot of the success of the movies is attributed to the wise contract negotiating of the producers. Having the same actors star in all movies makes a huge difference. You feel like they are part of your circle and you have watched them grow up. Very Smart. (Cathy) I have yet to see part one. I am looking forward to seeing both parts soon.

Carolin, what am I suppose to do with this friendship bread starter? Cathy, I have your starter at my house too. (Cathy)(oops!) I will get it this week. Will I see you guys at my house this week. Let me know what day is good. (Carolin) July 16th is day 5, add what the instructions tell you for day five. Do the same for Cathy's as well. I made the chocolate cake version on Wednesday and it is really good.


Yesterday, I had two of the girls over from work and one of them also brought her kids over for a swim and some light lunch. It was so beautiful outside and it was a nice day because Miss Teen Sunshine was also off for a change. She made some really good pizza and probably the best apple pie that I have ever tasted. The apple pie recipe is one that Carolin gave me of course. (Cathy)I need that crust recipe!

The rest of the week was soccer, driving Miss Teen Sunshine to and from work, (I think that I filled up with gas three times this week), taking my dad to the cardiologist and spending the day with him and seeing a few friends along the way. All in all not a bad week. The only down side is that Mr Sunshine was away all week but he got home safe and sound Friday morning and we have him for the weekend.


(Cathy)I know what you mean about driving and the gas. I have been the "mom taxi" for two weeks straight, back and forth at least four times a day, not including work. Things will settle down a bit for the next two weeks. The younger One passed his assistant swim instructor course, yeah, so that's one less trip. The older one starts his in class driver's ed. Thankfully it's at the same school and at the same basic times as the younger one's summer school course... two for one!!! Yeah!

(Carolin) A while ago Sunshine talked about her knee hurting and the doctor saying she has a bit of arthritis. Well not long after that my left knee started to bother me, but I figured it was sympathy pains for Sunshine. After a few months I did mention it to my Doctor who said it was arthritis. Well, it bothers me on and off and some days just the thought of stairs is enough to make me look for another option. This past Wednesday I went to sit down on the couch and didn't think and bent my leg to sit on it. I was able to sit all the way when I felt three pops in the muscle behind my knee. I was in major pain all the night, I could hardly walk and was popping Advil every four hours. I went to the chiropractors clinic on Thursday and they did some funky things. The knee is feeling a little better but still stairs are a problem. The physio guy said it was something to do with my knee cap. I go again today for more physio and hopefully it gets better. I am planning to go away next week for a couple of weeks but at this time I am taking it one day at a time. It is such a drag. (Cathy) I think this age thing has got to change. My back still hurts and I am determined to strengthen it so it does not become chronic! I hope your knee gets better real soon and becomes a thing of your past!


As I mentioned above, my week just consists of work and mom taxi. I am beat! I am really looking forward to the next two weeks and I really hope to see you ladies!!!!!
I just finished watering the grass before it dies. I am not complaining about this weather and we do not have the air conditioning on. I refuse to lock up the house after a long cold winter! I love this open window weather. If it's too hot to sleep upstairs, we sleep downstairs. I don't have mine on either. It is hot at night but the AC doesn't make a big difference on the top floor anyway. I am NOT sleeping in the basement, gross!!!


I did manage to buy some new curtains and rods for the living room and our master bedroom. I hope Hubby will put up the brackets this Sunday for me. I managed to buy everything, off the shelf, and not order custom, (my usual way) I think it will look very nice and we will enjoy the extra money. (to pay for gas for the mom taxi!!!!!)

Thank you Lord, for a really nice week!!!


p.s. (Cathy) I have no idea what happened to the colour! I have tried to edit this three times now and it's not working. I have been having trouble with my laptop. I hope it's nothing serious! I fixed it, why you ask, cause I CAN!

Catch Up Fridays

So, WYDF???????

My cousin Chris started asking this question a few months ago on facebook. It's a fun way to get into weekend mode. Have you figured out what it stands for yet??? No!! Ok, I'll tell you.

It stands for: What You Drinking Friday!!! It's a weekly version of happy hour. It's fun to follow Chris's facebook status to see all the responses. It a nice way to put a smile on your face and the end of a long week! Thanks, Chris!!! (Carolin) I am drinking Ice Tea, yeah I know, what a boozer I am. I did last night have a beer. I like the Bud Lime beer but it is kinda pricey, I tried to talk the teenager into splitting a case with me but she is to cheap. Anyway, the husband bought a 24 (for our non Ontarians, that is a case of 24 beer and it is pronounced 2 - 4) of Red Baron Lime. It was cold, I'll give it that but I wasn't too keen on it. I guess I'll stick to my ice tea. (Sunshine) It's virgin strawberry daiquiris for me. That is so that everyone can have some, the kids, my mother in law, my sister in law who is nursing, they will all be here tomorrow. I know that's Saturday so it may not count, but it's only water for me on Friday.

As for me.... I can't drink! I feel it so fast and I always have. I know, what kind of Jamaican am I? I do, however, like to enjoy a cold beer with Hubby enjoying our beautiful yard in the cool of the early evening. The slight breeze through the leaves of the trees, the many different birds singing their songs and kid's laughing and playing. This is when you feel the world in a positive way! You always paint such a beautiful picture. I can actually feel the breeze blowing through my hair.

Summer is here! A time to slow down and smell the roses. Slow down! I'm very busy with my knew and improved job as, "mom taxi". The younger one is in summer school for extra credit. He's also completing another swim instructor course. The older one is working and I just signed him up for his driver's ed. course. I can't wait until I can ask him to be the "taxi"!!! I agree Cathy, between driving Miss Teen Sunshine back and forth from work five times a week and soccer twice a week, I am constantly filling up with gas and it's so expensive. Although I am present in the car, I am not always driving as Miss Teen Sunshine does a lot of the driving now a days. That works for me just fine.

It's mostly just the little one and me hanging around. The teenager is at work all day and the husband is on the golf course and then at work in the evenings (these past two weeks). Mr Sunshine has had more then his share of golf this week as well. I don't know how they justify calling so much time on the golf course, work! I need a job like that where I can go and have fun and do something that I really enjoy doing with people that I like all day long. I have the little one in swimming lessons every morning and she has just completed her half way mark for this session. We then come home and spend about a hour doing three pages of math review and reading a chapter a day of one of the novels she will be reading next year. We are reading, "Where the Red Fern Grows." At first, I didn't think I would like it, but since we sit in the back yard in our Muskoka chairs in the shade I look forward to it. That sounds really sweet.

The little one and I plan to spend one day a week downtown Toronto exploring. This past week we went to the Art Gallery of Ontario http://http://www.ago.net/ and then we wandered over to the Ontario College of Art and Design http://http://www.ocad.ca/

to see if we could just look around. We were told sure and started walking the halls of the school and stopped to watch some students in the Pottery Studio. They invited us in and then spent the next two hours talking and sharing their passion of art with the little one. She was in awe the whole time and says this is where she wants to go to college. We then headed to my Mom's to pick up the little one's flower girl dress for my brother's wedding in a few weeks. Over all it was a great day. Next week we plan to visit Queen's Park, New City Hall and Old City Hall. It sounds like you are getting a lot accomplished. The Ontario College of Art and Design sounds like a really cool place, I look forward to seeing the little one attending school there one day.

Hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather!!!

Catch Up Fridays

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!!

Happy Canada Day everyone! I hope it's a safe weekend for one and all!!! 144 years young!.


School's out for summer! I can hear Alice Cooper singing as I type this! I know we keep saying this - but time really flies by too fast! If I see one back to school sign in any store I think I will scream! I picked up the little ones report card today. She did well now that we have an official IEP. Her Junior High teachers left us with the three novels they would be reading this coming year for us to read ahead. Also today I picked up a grade 5 math review book. I am hoping to work with her an hour a day and maybe just maybe she will remember some of what she has been taught this past year. (Sunshine) It sounds like it will be a good year for the little one.

On another note, I really must try to make pie crust. Both Carolin and Sunshine make their own crust and I have a pie plate and many ideas, I just now need to take the next step. I love chicken pot pie and apple pie and quiche. All of it is fattening and here I am trying to lose weight. My back is still not healed. I think it's ok so I go and garden and bingo it starts hurting again. You go to Bingo? I really, really do not like this. Hubby says I should go to the doctor. What will he say.... "take it easy and take "whatever" for the pain". I will just take it a little at a time. I agree with Hubby. At least get it checked out so that you know what you are dealing with. Physio may help as well, you never know. Feel better.

What are everyone's plans for the summer? Hey Ladies, just remember, our standing invite on the Sunday of Labour Day weekend!!!!!!! Maybe, I'll make pie!!! Please spend the summer practicing I don't want to try to eat your first attempt. Making pie crust was a very scary thing for me but then Carolin showed me how easy it is, and tasty too. Cathy, you too can feel like a world class pastry chef once you follow her directions and make your first pie crust. Good Luck!

(Carolin)What is everyone elses' plans for Canada Day? I am catering an event on Canada Day. I am making dinner for Alvin Slaughter http:// http://%20http//www.alvinslaughter.com/content.cfm?id=2027 and his crew as well for Devine Worship http://http//www.myspace.com/divineworshipgroup. These two entertainers are preforming at the Canada Day Celebrations here is town. The big BBQ/Party is being held at the school grounds where I work. The Husband is working the whole weekend (surprise NOT) so the little one will be with me. KD, Gonzo (thought she doesn't know it) and Romeo have all agreed to watch her if I promise to save them some Strawberry Shortcake. Wow, that is so cool. Carolin, you have built a name for yourself and you are obviously very successful. I may even see you on tv one day.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Sunshine!!! Hope you're home! Yes, he has the weekend off. On Canada day we just hung out and did nothing just as he wanted to, but then he decided that he wanted to walk to Wonderland to pick up Miss Teen Sunshine because he said that he wanted to accomplish something and he wants to run a marathon in the fall. So off he went. He left at about 2:30 in the afternoon and finally at about 5:45 he called and asked to be picked up as he had numerous blisters on both feet. We went to get him and boy he had walked a really long way along uneven ground with no side walks and against a lot of traffic. Anyway we picked him up near Rutherford and Islington. Then the next day, he could hardly walk so we were around the house all day. Swimming and relaxing, works for me. Now this morning he is still limping but he must be feeling better because he is planning the day. Enjoy everyone, its suppose to be a beautiful Sunday.