Requiem for a Dream

(Cathy) Our oldest son came to us last night and asked if Hubby and I would like to watch a movie with him. It was titled: "Requiem for a Dream". I had never heard of it so I Googled it. It was a highly rated movie from the year 2000. It deals with addiction in a very real way. It is very, very disturbing. It is a great movie, worth all the praise and stars it has received. It is very hard to watch. Hubby and I are very glad we watched it with our son. We had a nice chat afterwards discussing our thoughts and opinions on addiction.

I think this movie should be required watching for all parents and their kids. It would never be able to be part of a high school curriculum due to it's "R" rating. There are disturbing scenes, but they are meant to be there. They tell the story. The movie tells the tale of four individuals and their fall into addiction and how it affects their lives. Some fall without even realizing it and that was scary! This is a movie that will stay with you and this is good for that means the message was received loud and clear!

There are many good links and reviews; take the time to read the link I provide here as it does a very good complete review.

Review: Requiem for a Dream

Catch Up Fridays

(Cathy) First week back at work is done! I am TIRED! I did make a huge decision which is a 180 turnaround for me. I put in a transfer to go from part-time to full-time. Wow! What have I done? Am I crazy or what? Life changed a bit this summer. It was another coming of age, family style. The boys are maturing and becoming more independent and Hubby and I are finding ourselves with more time. This is not a bad thing, It's just that we are finding it interesting as we now evolve from hand's on parenting to support parenting. (I hope that makes sense.) The boys are developing their own lives and we are watching (like a coach) from the sidelines. Instead of holding their hand and walking beside them, we now walk behind and support their decisions. Or in a lot of cases, offer up our opinions with explanations why they should rethink their decisions!! I can tell you it is not easy. In fact it is one of the hardest things we have ever had to do! Parenting is much easier when the children are younger and have no say! This becoming of age thing is very difficult. Knowing when to give advice or step in and knowing when to just shut up and let them fall. It's not instinctive yet to just "coach". Time and advice from our own parents and good friends help Hubby and I to keep from blowing our top and pulling our hair out! Wow, How do teens ever survive to adulthood? We all did, and boy, do I ever have more respect for my parents! If any of you have any advice for raising teenagers, please, please let us know. It's hearing stories from other people that makes us realize that we share in this journey. There is comfort in company. Thank-you!

(Sunshine) Another week down. it was very busy at work. we did get another girl on Tuesday and she seems really nice but I miss my buddy who is no longer working with us. They wanted to send her to another school but it's too far for her so now she is out of a job. I think that the Meanager wanted her gone so she found a way to make it happen. it's too bad that she has so much power because we lost a really good worker and a good friend. That said, the rest of the week was a little bit depressing. I am presently looking for another job with a similar schedule.

I had typed so much more but I lost it and I'm too tired to redo.

(Carolin) Welcome to my world ladies! I get the tired, I have been having a hard time falling a sleep this week then after hours I wake up and can't get back to sleep. Thursday night I was up till 3:00 am and today I woke up at 5:00 am. The positive thing is work is going well we are busy and sales were up this past week compared to last year this time. The family is off to a wedding tomorrow. The husbands niece is getting married should be a good time.

Sorry Sunshine work is not going so well I hope it works out for you. Well off to bed I go as I am tired. Keep your fingers crossed that I fall a sleep and stay a sleep.

Cathy I sympathize with the parenting issues. I feel that we have all spent many years teaching and leading by example. As long as the always act with integrity then I say let them spread their wings and sit back and watch them fly!

Catch Up Fridays

Sunshine. I am typing on the IPad so I am not exactly sure how everything works so far. It's been a crazy busy week with the start of the school year as well as work. We have been short one girl all week long. I have no idea when they are going to fill the position but I can tell you that I am exhausted. The new legislation is challenging and very time consuming. I have worked late everyday and I have been late to pick up the girls all week long. I really don't get paid enough for all this craziness. (Carolin) When she says the new legislation she means the Ontario Healthy Food Act. This act restircts the types of food that can be sold in and on School property. No fried food, no candy, regular pop (soda for our American readers) high sodium foods etc.

The girls have started school and so far everything looks pretty good. Everyone is relatively happy with their teachers. I know that the year will just fly buy.

Cathy, we had a great time at the la purest(?) (??) weekend get together. Every time we get together I realize how much I misss hanging out with you girls. Thanks so much Cathy to you and your family for having us over. It was a lot of fun and the food was great.

Sunshine, you did a good job with the Ipad! I have to go back to work this weekend. On Sunday, Sept. 11th. I bet flights will be delayed due to extra security. We are also having a bridal shower for my cousin on Sunday. Mom and Dad and my sister and family are all staying over so we can all clean the house and cook! It will be a lot of fun! (Have fun and glad its not me!)

We had a great time last Sunday! It's always good when we get together and as it just doesn't happen as often anymore it makes it all the more special!

School has started. Good luck to one and all for a great year and Sunshine, I agree, it will fly by!

As you have read many times school has begun for another year and so had work. I had a great week my school cafeteria sales were double what they were last year this time. I had a new girl start and we will have to see how it goes.

I had canceled our church Small group Friday night as it seemed not everyone could make it. But one of the women didn't get the email and came anyway. We had a great evening just catching up from our summers and laughing about life. It was a great unexpected Friday night.

I am last blogging this week as it is almost midnight on Saturday. I have been out since 10:30 AM. Myself, mom, uncle and two aunts met up downtown Toronto. And spent the day at the Cabbagetown Festival. I always enjoyed the day, chatting, laughing and just hanging with the old folks! Well we will find out if any of the family reads the blog because of my last comment. :)

Over all it has been a good week, kids are back to school, teenager likes her university classes over all and the little one is getting used to a new routine now that she is in Junior High.


Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Catch Up Fridays

(Cathy) Wow! Here we are at the last weekend of the summer! I have to admit that this is not my favourite weekend. I enjoy having the kids around, (even if I complain about the mom taxi thing, lol!) One thing that we do look forward to is actually getting together with all of us ladies and our families. We have been getting together every labour day weekend for about four years now, I think. When summer starts we always think we have so much time to see each other and get together and go places. Summer is only eight weeks long. (Really six weeks if you factor in the end of school stuff and the back to school stuff.) I am always amazed at how fast time keeps flying by. One must really live each day to the fullest! Is that even possible? How can you live each day to the fullest without being selfish? When would we sleep?

Well, ladies, how does two o'clock this Sunday sound? Will there be a Risk rematch? What about Rumoli or Phase 10? The weather is up and down for Sunday, but, we'll still have a good time!

(Carolin) I got the craziest phone call from Cathy this week. It was after dinner and I was washing dishes, I pick up the phone only cause I forgot to look at the call display as I was enjoying myself singing to my new Barbra Streisand CD. Cathy is on the other end and she is in a snit ( I know this as there was no chit chat). She asks me to tell her if I think she is a 'know it all'. I asked her where this was coming from and after I repeated the question a few times she finally says "she is having an argument with her husband". I then told her I refuse to get in the middle and would not answer the question. She got even more mad, so not only was she mad at her husband now she is in a snit with me.

So why did I not answer the question you ask. If I agreed with her husband and said "yes she is a know it all" She would then be mad at both of us and if I answered "no". Then the husband would say "well of course Carolin would say that she is a women and your friend" So I felt I was dammed if I did or not. Also we would all be getting together this weekend and I didn't want to be involved in their fight, I just want to show up eat and drink, maybe have a few laughs. NO DRAMA! I have enough with my own family Thank you very much.

Also bloggers between you and me I didn't want to talk on the phone as I was enjoying myself washing the dishes and sing the duet 'You don't bring me flowers' with Babs.

(Cathy) So, that's why you didn't answer the question!!! I knew you would answer as you did and that's why I called you. I needed some, how do you say, time to count to ten to put things back into perspective!!!! Things are good now with everyone so no need to worry about anything but having a good time on Sunday.

Where is Sunshine??? (Sunshine) Sorry ladies I forgot it was Friday yesterday, so I forgot to blog. Cathy and Carolin you both make me laugh and I am looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow. This week Mr Sunshine has been off for most of the week on vacation and he has been working on putting hardwood floor in our bedroom. The prep work is almost done but I will be impressed if we can get back into our bedroom by the end of the month. It is a really big job. As for school and work all I can say is NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.........

Have a safe weekend, everyone!

Catch Up Fridays

(Cathy) We're back! We had such a good time. The weather was hot, hot, hot and big sunny blue skies! I love the mountains. We flew into Vancouver and rented a car and drove to Kelowna. It was a breathtakingly beautiful drive. We stopped to eat lunch in Hope at a restaurant called, "Home." The food was very good and the service was great. We had never heard about Home before, however, when we saw all of the cars in the parking lot we figured it must be good!

We stayed with Hubby's folks and just enjoyed good company, food and many games of Euchre. We drove down to Osoyoos on Tuesday to have dinner with Hubby's sister. We went to Osoyoos Desert Railroad and Rattlesnake Canyon. The kids had a great time with all of their cousins. We ate far too much good food, (the calories don't count when you're on vacation... right???)

We arrived home at 3am this morning. We had to fly from Kelowna to Vancouver then on to home.

We are very tired, but happy. Glad to be home safe and sound.

How was everyone else's week?

(Carolin)Sounds like it was a good trip, it has been fairly quite here getting slowly organized for work(school starting).

(Sunshine) Welcome back Cathy. I am glad that the weather was great and that you had such a good time. I am looking forward to seeing you all next weekend.

Thinks around here are same old same old. Its been great summer but it went by to fast and I am trying hard to prepare myself for the work environment and following a strict schedule once again but my mind won't let me go there yet. This weekend we have a dinner dance that my dad has all asked us to go to on Saturday night, so we will all be there. Sunday is up in the air, I know that Teen Sunshine is working on Sunday and Mr Sunshine has some of next week off but there are no plans int he works so far. I am secretly hoping that some of this floor upstairs gets laid. It will be a lot of work but it has go get done sometimes. We will have to see how motivated Mr Sunshine is about working on his vacation.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Catchup Fridays

(Sunshine) Well its the home stretch and summer is almost over. I can feel that dark cloud approaching fast. I am so not looking forward to going back to work, but I know that I am very lucky to have been off for the last nine weeks. It was a very quick summer but it was also a good one. We have a family picnic on Sunday so I am preparing the food for the picnic. I am making coroche, peppers and potatoes and some pies. Little Miss Sunshine has made cupcakes and she wants to have a lemonade stand. I told her that its not polite to sell lemonade at a family picnic but she can give it out for free if she wants to. She said that was fine and then she asked me if she could have a tip jar. (she is one smart cookie :) I had to laugh and I told her that she could if she wanted to and I would definitely give her a tip. Miss Teen Sunshine is working all day so she will be missing out. (Carolin) Is know one else bringing any food?

Yes the summer is coming to an end, I can feel it in the air but no smell it as I have a nasty head cold. I could feel something on Thursday while at Sunshine's as the girls swam. By Friday night it was a full fledged head cold. Wow do I hate them I haven't had a cold in over a year but still they are not fun. I guess I should be thankful I didn't have it during the busy wedding/family staying with us or in another week while I have to be back at school prepping for the coming year.

What a busy few weeks, my sister and her family (6 kids) and a girl friend of a nephew, and a friend of my sisters who had never been to Toronto all stayed with us. Yes that was an extra 9 people! My brothers wedding went well we all had a great time. The wedding was to be outside but the weather wasn't cooperative so though it was still outside we were under a large tent. Just as the bride was to enter a torrential thunderstorm let loose. I was in the second row and it was hard to hear the minister. But just as bride and groom said I do the rain stopped and the rest of the day and evening was humid but nice.

The little one was very anxious about being a flower girl but she pulled it off and did great. After walking down the isle she sat beside me and said "Well that wasn't to bad. And how come I didn't get a car like the ring bearer." The ring bearer is only three and my brother (the groom) had a toy car that was used like a carrot to keep the three year old on track. Funny!

Well the fun part of the summer is over and now it is back to routine. I like routine but perhaps cause I am not feeling great this time around I don't want the summer to end.

Cathy is away in Calgary so I don't think that we will be hearing from her this week.


Have a great weekend everyone!!!!!

Catch up Fridays

(Sunshine) Hello everyone, how are you all doing? We are back from Calgary safe and sound. It was a really beautiful trip. It always amazes me how beautiful that part of the country is. We had amazing weather and I have some great pictures. We went canoeing, horse back riding, swimming and of course lots and lots of hiking. We were so busy that I am so tired. Miss Teen Sunshine of course had a little accident while we were there but she is ok. On the horse back riding adventure, her horse was not cooperating and eventually he just bucked her right off. She fell on her back and she is bruised and sore but she was a trouper. The guide switched horses (you are not allowed to continue to ride a horse that has bucked someone off) with her to return back to the ranch as she was too sore to ride and the rest of the hour and a half. She got on the other horse and the rest of our family all rode back to the ranch. We were lucky as it was in the mountains that he bucked her off in an area that was not at the edge of a cliff. She still wants to go hoarse back riding again when she feels better. I guess that's a good thing as I don't want her to ever be scared. That's one brave girl. (Cathy) I feel for Miss Teen Sunshine. I would say that her guardian angel is working overtime at keeping her safe, however, I wish that angel didn't have to work so hard!!! Your week out west sounded lovely and relaxing. I was hoping to get to Calgary to visit Carol and my other girlfriends from school, however, it looks like we will only be able to squeeze in a week in Kelowna. Hubby and I keep saying that we are so glad we traveled as much as we could while the boys were little as now it is so difficult to coordinate schedules. I had hoped to go out earlier on my own or with the Younger One but, that will not work out either. In time we will once again have the flexibility with our time. (and probably look back saying, "remember when...)


Well Carolin, how was the wedding? I am excited to hear every detail. You must be exhausted. Do you still have family over? I looked at the photos on facebook. Wow, you all looked great! Carolin, I loved your dress!!


I also attended a very private little wedding the Thursday before we left. It was a lovely ceremony and the couple is very happy. Carolin, I know you know who I am talking about and Cathy, if you want to know you will just have to break down and pick up the phone and call me because the couple would like it to remain very private for now. (picking up the phone now)


Cathy, how are you doing? Are you finished nagging for today? I must admit that I catch myself nagging and I have to stop myself but sometimes it's impossible to do so. I have decided that it is my responsibility as a good parent to nag sometimes and other times it is just my right!(funny!)The hard part is that I remember tuning my mom out and I am sure that my daughter does the same. I can see when that look comes over her face that says, "what ever mom" and guess what, then I nag some more. My mom nagged all the time but I couldn't love her anymore and now having two children of my own, I completely understand why she did so. So never feel bad for caring and loving someone enough to say something.


(Cathy)As I sit here blogging I am watching one of my favourite cooking shows, "Anna and Kristina's Grocery Bag." I love the premise of this show. The two ladies take a different cookbook each show and cook six to eight dishes on average to form a complete meal. They then have a chef come to judge the result. Watch it, it's good. Anyway, during one commercial break a commercial came on for some new fangled wonder bra that lifts and separates. The lift, I get, but why the need to separate?


Carolin still has a house full of family and I think they are out and about today so I will post now and she can add when she has time!
(Cathy) Hey Carolin, I am still having trouble with my colour! Help!

Love you all, have a great weekend!!!!!