Life at Oak Grove

That's it....  I officially feel like a lioness in a cage.    I need to get out but I can't drive.   I want to go walk in a mall or something but I can't.

It is driving me nuts.   Literally.   

And it shows in my attitude I think.   I'm not myself.   I need to see something else than the 4 walls of our house.   HELP!

Unfortunately, my true friends live too far from me... to come and pick me up.   Like Heidi who is in Pennsylvania, or Lyne who lives outside of Montreal.   Shannon is in town but they are visiting family right now and they will go back to Cochrane, AB soon.   *sigh*  and I still have 2 weeks to go (actually 1 week and a half but it feels longer!).

I realize that I lack close friends and honestly I feel too old to try again (I got burned in the past - often!).   

Anyone wants to go out for coffee?

UPDATE:   After lunch that day - we went out!  Destination - ToysRUs, Costco, Wal-Mart and Micheal's...  a bit much but it was worth it...  I needed to go out and breath and walk outside of our 4 walls.   OUF!   I think I can last for another 2 weeks....

I’m at lost of words or actions.   Honestly I have no clue what to do…   And apart from my husband, I don’t know who to talk too or on which shoulder I should cry my heart out…  You see I called my mom yesterday to wish her a Merry Christmas and it didn’t went well.    My mom is not a Christian – Oh she believe in God according to her but she always says that her God and our God is not the same.   She is right.   She once told me her God (or Jesus) accepts everyone and everything…   You know the commandment – You shall not have any other God but me.   Well my mom has her own version of God.   Probably because she got burned by the Catholic church back in the 50s and 60s.   In Quebec, The Catholic Church had a lot of control back then.   Anyhow, it still has repercussion in the 21^st century unfortunately.    Quebec is searching in all the wrong places…   Many consider themselves Catholics but attendance in the church is down – go figure.    Many have ties in the New Age stuff.   Amazing the number of New Ages stores there is in Montreal alone.

Back to my story – so I called mom and the bubble exploded once again.  This time, I don’t know what to do.   You see my mom got abused from family when she was younger and her husband too   Not physically I think, but emotionally and verbally.   And in so many years (she is 64 now), she has built a HUUUUUGE wall around her for protection.   You think it’s easy to reach out.   Every time we try to visit, I think it goes well and then a couple or few months afterward, I get the entire negative… Comments are twisted to the negative and so on.   ARG!   Problem is I’m an only child – no brothers or sisters.   I don’t have support apart from my husband and he wonders why I continue to call.   I can’t leave her alone…  no matter what I do I will get it – the negative comments I mean! 

You must be wondering if we ever shared the Gospel with her.  The answer is yes.   I thought it had gone well…   I explained twice over a week-end the whole relationship with God thing and the choice was hers…  Well a bubble exploded a few months later.   Boy!   I wasn’t expecting it.  Since then, I have to ask to go down and most of the time I receive a NO.   Last time I saw her when was my girl was born.   Not that I didn’t try but what should I do?

Now my husband wanted me to ask her to come down.   I procrastinated and waited…  wanting to see an opportunity to ask but knowing deep down her answer.   She I didn’t do it.   And yesterday BAM!   The guilt over me…  but at the same time the rage about the whole thing.   Oh LORD what should I do.   I don’t know.

Now Hubby wants to go down next Sunday.  I say we respect her.   Whatever I do I know what awaits me… conflict, cries, negative comments…  and you know what?  I’m tired of this.   Sooooo tired.    I mean how can I explain to my kids we don’t see mamie often even when she lives about 2 hours 30 minutes from us?   Why they don’t talk on the phone to her?   Why she doesn’t send gifts?

You know what happened one day while Alexandre was talking to her on the phone and he asked her why she didn’t have Jesus in her heart?  Poor kid was 3 years old I think.   She hung up on him.  He looked at me and simply said “Mamie is not on the phone anymore.”  Breaks my heart.   Then I got the brainwashing talk…   She once told me that I was in a sect, that she didn’t understand why I rejected the Catholic faith and so on…   Mind you we never were practicing when I was younger going to church only at Christmas, Easter or when visiting my maternal grandmother.   I wasn’t perfect in the past, I made errors…  I try to apologize for the errors…  Really I did.   But my mom loves to live in the past – how her husband cheated on her and left, what I said and done, what her family did and so on…   So sad.

It breaks my heart.  I don’t know what to do.   Except praying that is but even that I wonder if it’s worth it…   I’m at the point I just want to throw the towel.  Give up in other words.  But I can’t…  Not giving up is my way of honoring her.  So what should  I do?

Even Hubby thinks she doesn’t deserve me and says I should stop calling her for a while.   I pointed out that it’s funny he says that and at the same time thinks we should go down immediately.    LOL He said   I’m right and that we should continue to reach out.  But does he understand that I am tired and my emotions are at a thin line on this subject?  I wonder.

So for now, knowing that she is emotionally instable and tired, I shall respect her wish to not go down but I need to visit her…soon.  

Every year from November until February it’s hard….   Her mom died on November 6^th one year – the day after my mom’s birthday.  Then a couple of year later, my mom discovered that my dad was cheating (that was in November too!) and he waited until February 14^th the following year to leave.   Fast forward a few years and my dad died on December 24^th 2000.   That did it.   My mom lost everything according to her because of this other woman.   Another one has got all the work that she has done in her life.    Another one is getting whatever my dad left behind.  You see what I mean.

For me it’s another thing from the past to deal with periodically.   Maybe I shouldn’t have called yesterday but it was Christmas day after all.

So honestly, what should I do?   My heart is broken for her.  I want to see her in Heaven with us.  But my hopes are crushed.  

I don’t know what to do anymore…

Help me God.

Touch her in any way.

Show her the Truth.

Protect her.

Bring forth a worker to bring her to you.  Family didn’t work so why not a stranger.

Bring her to church – a good one.

Transform her.  Save her.

Amen.

Please pray for me.   I need to be strong.

I think I have the most helpful 2nd grader in the world!   I am blessed with all my kids but this one helps me like there is no tomorrow.

Yesterday while we were chatting with other adults - Alexandre didn't want to play with the younger ones so I put out all the food leftover - burgers, hot dogs, cake... all in plastic containers and in the fridge.   I'm so proud of him.  

He was sad that his friend Émilie couldn't come so he kept occupied...

Like I said....  he is such a sweetie.   I think I figured out his love language - service and spending time with us.

It all started unexpectedly on Thusday night....  My husband who receives earlier this week a little booklet about protecting ourselves against identity theft, decided to check it credit at one of the credit bureau in Canada....

The next morning, I learn that someone is using his identity (earlier in December) to get a car...   Mmm!  Not fun whatsoever.   Car dealer is located in Fredericton, NB.   Far from were we live!

By the end of the day, we learned that credit were refused to the guy.   The guy offered to pay with a bank draft.   Salesman drove the vehicule in Montreal, QC where it was agreed to be picked up by the buyer.   A time was set so that the salesman can go to the bank to verify the bank draft.  The buyer shows up 7 hours later after the bank are closed and vendor just want to go home and let the car go and take the bankdraft which - you guessed it - it a fake one!   Car is worth 45 thousand!  Then we also learn that he tried to get a cell phone which credit was refused also...  Somehow we were protected.   Hubby had to call all the places where a credit hit was done and explain the situation.   Also called the RCMP, the car dealer, Rogers, all our banks/credit cards companies.   The guy has all personal information and business information of my husband including the social insurance number.   ARG!   Tomorrow, we need to contact the department who takes care of the SIN, Canada Post to make sure no address changes have been done, and Revenue Canada just in case.    And hubby wants to get more booklet from the insurance company who send it to us so he can give some to others.   Bottom line, we learned that whoever did this probably had hubby's information from many years.   The salary he declared was the salary my husband made in 2004.

I pray that somehow God will pour tons of guilt on the guy.  I pray that he is caught while trying to make new transactions...  I pray that they found the car he stole... but more than likely it is on a boat on it's way to Africa from what we learned.   He also tried to get another car in Trois-Rivières. QC.   I'm praying Ephesians 4:28 on him.  

All this happened on Jasmine's birthday.

Today - what is schedule is her birthday party and it's my husband birthday too!   But there was a snow storm.... and some friends who moved to Cochrane, AB were suppose to sleep over.  But it won't happen and they were still suppose to come but because of the snow... well they are not coming.   Both Alexandre and their daughter Emilie were crying.   You see we have promised them they would see each other during Christmas time...  Well now we need to arrange another meeting but this time just them and us.   It will be better.    Other friends were suppose to come but I don't know if they will face the snow storm if they decide to come - you see their 1 month son is back at the hospital for a possible minimum stay of 48 hours.   I learned that from Facebook when Julia wrote a note at 453am.   Since then - nothing.  Don't know what is going on...   Their son has been in the hospital at birth because of pneumonia and it lasted almost 2 weeks...   Poor peanut.  

So you can see why I wrote What a week-end! as a title....    It was quite hectic!!!

One year ago, you entered our life and have brought joy since then.   I wish you a marvelous birthday my little girl and hope you will grow strong and have a love for the Lord like anyone have seen.

xoxo  maman xoxo                  

 Alexandre, Dominic, Jérémy and Jasmine.

I LOVE YOU!

In November 2008, I was schedule for surgery on my right foot to remove a bunion that was causing pain and problems.    Honestly, I was wondering why I had to go through this with 4 kids aged 7 and under (including a little one under 1 year old).   But it turned out that it wasn’t this bad.   As I write this, I still have 3 weeks in a cast – weeks where I can’t drive obviously so I am trying to make the best of the situation…   During this time I have the chance to slow down – literally.   And I have the opportunity to ask my kids to get more involved in the day to day life in the home.    I must honestly say that I am blessed to have these kids.   The older ones are helping a lot with their younger brother and sister as well as helping in the house.    Can you believe that my 2^nd grader helped with the laundry thanks to a product I have reviewed recently?   Yes you read that right – Alexandre has done laundry!   I plan to use to new skill in the future as it will permit me to prepare something else while he loads the washer.   Picking up time is done with less whining and crying too!   How did I do it?   Not sure but the rule now is if you are done with it, you pick it up.    It removes lot of things on the floor and permits me to walk without worrying if I will slip on some toy…   Another plus of having Alexandre at home is that he can help me to bring his baby sister downstairs.   You see it’s a little bit tricky for me to go down the stairs and I need to keep a hand on the railing.   Since Jasmine is not able to go down the stairs by herself, well I need help.   Homeschooling has slowed a bit during the week following the surgery but its back on track since then.    Homeschooling had permitted me to have some help when I needed it.   Homeschooling also trained my oldest to household duties which he wouldn’t have learned at school.   Homeschooling permits my kids to grow close to each other and me to get to know them.    The other day, I was sitting on the sofa and enjoying their laugh and play while resting my foot.   Oh the joy of hearing them having fun together.   Homeschooling has allowed us to be close and to explore together life with its ups and downs.   Events happen sometimes and the fact that we homeschool permits us to be flexible.   

Oh and if you are wondering… YES I can’t wait to be able to drive so I can get out a bit more!   But for now, I am enjoying the rest and peace of being at home… and even without the cast on, I will have to continue to slow down a bit since there is another 6 weeks without impact activity that will follow. 

...  Anne of Green Gables were written by Lucy Maud Montgomery who lived in Prince-Edouard Island, Canada.

2008 is the 100th anniversary of the publication of the book.

I found this site listing a bunch of interesting site about Anne...  Check it out!

 

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/show/CTVShows/20081211/gables_facts_081211/20081211/

...   I've been blessed by a vendor I contacted to eventually buy his product so that my husband and I would like to go through.

I will tell you more about it another time but right now I'm floating on a cloud.   So happy.  It's getting shipped today... 

Yeah!

A friend on Facebook posted this note and I thought it was interesting.   I just wanted to share it with you all...

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10 FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO WERE HOMESCHOOL

1. Agatha Christie. Agatha was a painfully shy girl, so her mom homeschooled her even though her two older siblings attended private school.

2. Pearl S. Buck was born in West Virginia, but her family moved to China when she was just three months old. She was homeschooled by a Confucian scholar and learned English as a second language from her mom.

3. Alexander Graham Bell was homeschooled by his mother until he was about 10. It was at this point that she started to go deaf and didn’t feel she could properly educate him any more. Her deafness inspired Bell to study acoustics and sound later in life.

4. If Thomas Edison was around today, he would probably be diagnosed with ADD – he left public school after only three months because his mind wouldn’t stop wandering. His mom homeschooled him after that, and he credited her with the success of his education: “My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me; and I felt I had something to live for, someone I must not disappoint.”

5. Ansel Adams was homeschooled at the age of 12 after his “wild laughter and undisguised contempt for the inept ramblings of his teachers” disrupted the classroom. His father took on his education from that point forward.

6. Robert Frost hated school so much he would get physically ill at the thought of going. He was homeschooled until his high school years.

7. Woodrow Wilson studied under his dad, one of the founders of the Southern Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS). He didn’t learn to read until he was about 12. He took a few classes at a school in Augusta, Georgia, to supplement his father’s teachings, and ended up spending a year at Davidson College before transferring to Princeton.

8. Mozart was educated by his dad as the Mozart family toured Europe from 1763-1766.

9. Laura Ingalls Wilder was homeschooled until her parents finally settled in De Smet in what was then Dakota Territory. She started teaching school herself when she was only 15 years old.

10. Louisa May Alcott studied mostly with her dad, but had a few lessons from family friends Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Can you imagine?

Soy....   This is something new in our household simply because our little Jasmine is having a reaction on the milk protein in the formula.   All my other kids drank milk but it looks like Jasmine might not...

It started about 2 months ago...  Formula in the morning was oka, lunch time I could see that there was a bit of redness in her face but nothing else... in the evening though - that was another story.   The red splashed on her upper body but when we was done with her bottle... without finishing it most of the time, it would disappear.    At first we thought that it was because we got some Parent's Choice Formule (Wal-Mart brand) - which was a first because usually we always get the Kirkland one (Costco brand).   So at one point I drove to Costco and bought some from there...  Same reaction.

About a week ago, I took her to see our family doctor and discovered that she was not tolerating the milk protein.   Great!   Now what to give her.   He suggest to me that we go with Soy.    Soy is not something new in Rob's family because our 2 nieces-to-be can't tolerate the protein in the milk either so I called my sister-in-law and asked her some questions...

Because Jasmine is so close of being 1 year old, the doctor said I could go directly to the Soy beverage not the Soy formula.   So I got one Soy Beverage from the grocery store and gave her some...   She dunked it!!!   Surprise for me since she usually never finished her bottle.   Now she drinks 9 ounces morning, lunch and supper time... WoW!   And you know what I realized this week-end...  she is taking weight - good.   I thought she was a bit small too!   Now her 12 months old pants are holding on her waist while before they would fall down.  

And the best is that the red splashes are gone!   Completely gone!  Hip Hip Horray!

I am so happy that we figure out the problem.... even if it means she will have to dring Soy for many years. 

It's 520am right now... EST that is.

But I woke up at 4am or so... stayed in bed as much as I could ... but I couldn't go back to sleep.   Mind as well get up and write a review (which I did).   Now, I am waiting.   Starving but I can't eat.... you see my surgery is today!

So I need to be at the hospital at 8am.    And make sure I am there on time because if not - I will beb bumped.   Kids are at the inlaws...  Weird to have a house without kids around....  sooooo quiet suddenly.

My surgery time is at 10am.   I learned yesterday that they will put a catheter behind my knee and I will have some sort of bottle with anesthetic in it for 48 hours...   Hubby will have to remove the catheter himself... and if there is problem when doing so on Friday - go to the hospital!   Great!    This thing is as big as a baby bottle (more larger though) and will contain anesthetic for the leg... bottom line is that I won't feel a thing with this for 48 hours.   Then another 24 hours to get back the sensation in the leg.   MmmmM!   Not sure I will enjoy this.   When I had the same kind of surgery on the left foot when I was 17 (or was it 18) I didn't had it.   I just endured the pain.   I guess there is a lot of people who don't want any pain.   Mind you that was 18/19 years ago.... and it was in Quebec so things have changed since then... but in my personal live (well I do live in Ontario now!) and in the medical world....

So I am having a forefront reconstruction and bone graft...   Below is my x-ray that was done earlier this year!   See my right foot?   That's the one who will get operated this morning.    Left one was done when I was a teenager but what a job it was... not so great.   So my right big toe is turning towards my left foot.   My doctor will correct that which explains the bone graft.   She will use part of the bone she will remove to fix the toe.  




I should be back at home sometime this afternoon.   Groogy more than likely but we shall see.   Than it's 6 weeks in a partial cast.   I bought a boot and my crutches yesterday.   I had to wash my feet for 3 minutes last night and another time with something different today...  Boy!   Let me tell you that I never washed my feet for that long before.   3 minutes is a looooong time believe.  Try it just for fun!!!!   It's unbelievable.   3 minutes on 1 foot.   Geeez!    Make sure you time it... but doing this it's take quite some time... LOL

... only two more days and then it will be the surgery.   I admit that I am a bit stressed...  I wonder why?   I went through worse than that.   I guess it is just the fact that I am having yet another surgery and I am not looking forward to it...  Hubby says that I will be glad next summer that it is done.   Sometimes I wish that I wouldn't have to go through it. *sigh*

Here's the number of surgeries I had in the past...

5 year old - tonsils removed,
Teenager - left knee surgery because of a tored ligament
17 or 18 - removal of the bunion on the left foot - crappy job done... but hey it doesn't hurt
1997 - Gallbladder
June 2001 - c-section for Alexandre
Feb 2004 - c-section for Dominic (he was 10 days late so no induction because of previous c-section)
Nov 2005 - c-section for Jérémy (can't vbac anymore because of previous c-sections...)
Dec 2007 - c-section for Jasmine (three weeks earlier than due date because of previous c-sections)

and now this week - Nov 2008 - a forefoot reconstruction with bone graft.

2 days not walking on it... 6 six no driving...  and after 6 more weeks no impact sports or dancing.   But I will be ready for summer!  *grin*

I am thankful to have the best surgeon in the city to do it.   I trust her ... even if I met her only 2 times so far.   She knows what she is doing...   after all she has cases worse than mine.  It was a long wait but it was worth it.

Passe-Partout was a tv shows in the 70s in Quebec...   It was geared to young kids ages 3-6 years old...

Quebec decided to create their own preschool show after debating if they will translate Sesame Street or not.   And I think it was a good idea.    Oh don't take me wrong Sesame Street is great but Passe-Partout was wonderful and believe me when I say translating shows sometimes misses some of the quality.   Personally I think that the only company who does a great job at translating their movies would be Disney.

So back to Passe-Partout.   A few years ago, someone had the idea of bringing back the episodes on DVD.... and since then we have now 5 sets of DVDs on the market.    We actually own 4 of them.  The fifth one came out this week...   And I am going to do to Costco to see if they have it.

Passe-Partout is a must in our household.   Being French-Canadians we want our kids to be exposed as much as possible to French.   They pick up English pretty good thank you and some have the tendency to speak in English before French.  So now we try to have them speak in French first.   So if they speak in English, we ask them to say the same thing in French.   If they have trouble then we say the sentence and need to repeat behind us.   Voilà.

If you want to know more about Passe-Partout check this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passe-Partout  and read about it.   If you are interested in buying them... well I just checked and they are listen on Amazon.com...   Check it out!  It's a good show to introduce kids to french.  Worth the money believe me!  and this is coming from a French-Canadian...

Last night, pass 8pm but before 9pm (sorry I can't remember the exact time - oupsy!), our friends the Driegers had their fourth baby - a boy this time after three marvelous little girls...   His name is Kieran John Driedger.    I can't wait to see him.    Now I will have to go shopping - LOL... boy stuff obviously.   Seem like Julia had enough of boy clothes though so I am thinking hard of what to buy him...   Boy toy maybe? Mmmmm!  

Shopping yes... but before next week for sure.    In exactly a week I am going to have my forefoot reconstruction with bone graft?   What?    You read properly...  simply said I have a bunion on my right foot and it hurts a lot.   So here's what Dr. Gartke will do:  Open my foot and cut the bone from the bunion, the big toe is curving toward the outside so she will have to correct that with a bone graft which will be taken from the part remove earlier.   It's a day surgery and hopefully I shouldn't have complication...  

I had a bunion remove on the left foot when I was 17 or what this 18....?    But the job back then was bot done properly.  But this foot is not hurting so there is no need to go in and correct whatever has not being done properly.   Bottom line is if it doesn't hurt - don't touch it.   I like her philosophy...  

Do I look forward to it?  Partly yes, partly no.   Yes because the pain will be gone... No well I can't drive for 6 weeks.  Fortunately it will be Christmas time....  but still... cold winter.... can't wear a boot and the cast is only a half foot one...  Bummer.    So we bought BIG socks and see how I can wear these.  And I still have my grand-father moccasin which are quite large.  

I will survive...  I know... but still I am a bit stressed about it.  SO please keep me in your prayers until next Wednesday...  Remind me I need to call the doctor office to see when the hospital is supposed to call me for pre-op...

I have the best doctor in town...   I know because of her reputation.   I am in good hands.  Thank you Lord for bringing me to her.

It took two days to put two coats of fresh paint in our school room.  The little room is located in the front of the house.  From the window we can see the porch and the street.   The wall are blue-grey kind of color.   Thanks to my in-laws I will be able to move some furniture soon....

For tonight, we are washing the carpet with our machine and then we will put the humidifier for the night to remove the humidity...

Hopefully, tomorrow morning I will be able to move the bookcases and the desks as well as starting to put the books at their proper place...

So exciting!   Can't wait to have it complete...

Oh!  And I need to bake a cake for Jérémy as his birthday party is on Sunday...

... finally the time as come!!!

We emptied the rest of the school room on Sunday and left a message to my in-laws.  They showed up this morning with their painting gear.   Today, it was fixing the little holes, preparing the room and putting the white on the baseboards, around the door and window, the door itself (which I had to prepare with tape because it's a French door), the crown moulding and the ceiling.

Tomorrow - it's the walls that will be covered with a lighter blue than the one in my office.    I can't wait to be able to put the  furniture in and set it up....   I'm ALL excited about it.  Yeah!  Finally - the mess will disappear....

In the meantime, hubby still have to install a few things on the new school PC.    Can't wait to be all set-up.    I promise to post some pictures...

I am sort of fed-up with some status lines in Facebook....    I don't mind learning when a new baby is born and so on... but honestly I don't really care about whoever did clean their house or has a crappy day or is sick ... well you get the point!

So since I went back to Facebook, I am trying to keep my friendships low and I was wondering what to do with the status line.

While on our trip this summer, we went to some outlet stores in PA and in Maine.   In the Maine ones, there was an outlet from Reader Digest and I went in it.   We found christian books for the kids as well as a little treasure book for me.  The title is THe Teacher's Calendar (school year 2007-2008) a dayd-to-day Almanac to historic events, holidays, Famous Birthdays and more!  This book cost me 1$ !!!   And it has a lot of interesting facts.    I already had Every Day a Holiday by Silvana Clark but this one has something for every days of the year.    Mind you it's not the new edition (as they print a new one every year) and I have to be careful for certain things but the historic information is accurate.

So every day - from Monday to Friday - I change my status... I then remove it on Saturday as I don't touch it during the week-end....

For example:  Today is November 7th

Did you know that in 1885 at 9:30am (PT) the last spike was driven at Craigellachie, BC, completing the Canadian Pacific Railway's 2,980-mile transcontinental railroad track between Montreal (QC) (Hey I was born there!), in the east and Port Moody (BC), in the west?   HAPPY ANNIVERSARY CP!!!

Did you know that Marie Sklodowska Curie was born in 1867?   She was a polish chemist and physicist.  Born in Warsaw, Poland.   In 1903, she was awarded with her husband, Pierre, the Nobel Prize for physics for their discovery of the element radium.  She died in Sallanches, France, in July 4, 1934.

Did you know that today is the anniversary of the republican symbol (1874)? Thomas Nast used and elephant to represent the Republican Party in a satirical cartoon in Harper's Weekly.  Today the elephant is still a well-recognized symbol for the Republican Party in political cartoons.

Did you know that today is the anniversary of the first black governor elected?  In 1989, L. Doublas Wilder was elected governor of Virginia, becoming the first elected black governor in US history.   Now, Nov 4th 2008 will be the anniversary of the first african-american president....!

I love this little book and now I can change my status line and "educate" my friends at the same time... *Grin*

 

Geez!  I never thought I would have the writer's block...  But I am pondering on what to write...  You see I have to submit something on homeschooling.   And if my text is selected then I will be published in an e-book.   So I already have something in mind - I just need to take the time to put them on paper (or in this case in Word)....   It's just that there is no two days the same in this house... For example, today we had the annual family picture to get done at 10 am.   So I sent my 7 year old to do some Rosetta Stone while we prepare the rest of the crew....   No problem there.   But he didn't do his workbooks and it kind of bother me in a way.    I don't want to stress about it...

Honestly, I find it hard to be splitted in four.  Giving attention to Alexandre, Dominic, Jérémy and Jasmine and trying to teach.    Most days, I give Alexandre his assignments and then I try to work with Dominic with Jérémy following....   Mmmmm!   The school room is not done yet and I can't wait to have that finished.   Wish it would be done miraculously....   Hey I can dream...

So today is not quite lost after all...  Alexandre spent some time on the site of Time4Learning which I will write a review for in the weeks to come.   Alexandre can easily do some things there by himself.  Dominic and Jérémy ? that's another story.  Dominic is too fast and doesn't listen to the instructions... Jérémy is having trouble with the mouse...    So I do it for him but he gives me the answers.

Now back to my text I need to write...   How can I find the words to explain how homeschool is done in our house.   I think I will start with what I wrote for the newsletter of our association in town about reflections from a 1st year homeschooler and go from there.....  explain the differences between last year and this year - now if I can only find the time to sit down and write without disruptions....

Okay, I think this is well done... Not sure I would attempt it though.  

However, I wonder why thesong Brown Eye Girl is attached to it....   I would have picked something with vegetables on it like the song in French....Tous Les Légumes which I learned when I was in the girl guides - looooooog time ago!

Tous les légumes
Au clair de lune
Étaient en train de s'amuser HÉ !
(En faisant le HÉ!, on saute dans l'air en faisant un tour sur soi-même et en levant un bras)
Ils s'amusaient HÈ!
(En faisant le HÈ!, on saute dans l'air en faisant un tour sur soi-même et en levant un bras)
Tant qu'ils pouvaient HÈ !
(En faisant le HÉ!, on saute dans l'air en faisant un tour sur soi-même et en levant un bras)
 Et les passants les regardaient...
(S'arrêter et mettre la main en visière et regarder alternativement de gauche à droite)

Les cornichons tournaient en rond
(Tournoyer sur soi-même vers le centre du cercle)
Les artichauds sautaient à petits sauts
(Faire des petits sauts désordonnés)
Les céleris valsaient sans bruit
(attrapper la personne la plus près et valser avec elle)
Et les choux-fleurs se dandinaient avec ardeur
(Se plier légèrement vers l'avant et se dandiner à reculons pour reformer le cercle)

Check how to dance the French song from this video....

Did you ever dream of getting a horse for Christmas? You can get a sneak peek of our Fall issue and see Nancy Carter's first horse! Oh, and she's not the only one sharing her childhood pictures. You'll see photos from the 50's through the 80's.
But, you'll need the Fall issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine to go on this walk down memory lane.

Plus, do you like to create holiday memories? The brand new TOS holiday E-Book can be yours, too. It's all about the fall and winter holidays - mainly Thanksgiving and Christmas. But it's not even for sale yet. This is your chance to get it first  - for FREE ($12.45 value)!

 Normally when a person subscribes, their subscription starts with the upcoming issue which can take a while. But, TOS thought about that when they planned their  Fall Special.

 If you subscribe now with their Fall Special, you'll get:

• Almost 50% off the cover price for 2 years


• The current Fall issue as soon as it is ready


• 6 Bonus gifts


• 12 months of Teacher's Toolbox, which contains a FREE E-Book every month


• PLUS, the new E-Book, Homespun Holidays for FREE!
  This is over $250 worth of product for only $39!!

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE NOW!  

On Sunday we packed the kids in the truck, brought lunch with us and decided to go pick more apples... Well there wasn't apple left in the trees where we went so since we were about 20 km from a bird sanctuary we decided to go.   We had the time of our life.   We had fun and watched the Canadian geese flying around.   Then since we were 45 KM from Massena, NY... well you can see where I am going...   We crossed the border - good thing we don't have to have the passport yet!.   We then went to Wal*Mart and Kentucky Fried Chicken (believe me when I tell you the Kentucky int he States is WAYYYYYY better than the one in Canada - finger licking good!).  Then we drove back to home crossing the other bridge....

Make a Smilebox photobook

Jasmine will be 10 month this week-end and so far she doesn't have any teeth.  I know they will come in time... She doesn't have teeth but she loves to pull herself up to stand... 

But hubby met a guy from one of our contract whose wife gave birth 1 day after we did last december and their daughter already has 2 teeth.   Same with my niece-to-be who is 6 months (born in March of this year).

So what's with that???    I think it's funny - she is the oldest but no teeth yet.

Dear readers,

If you are interested in reading the reviews of my fellow crew mates, you can do that easily in two different ways...

First option: You can access the homeschool crew blog and read the reviews of whoever got selected to a specific product (not everyone will review everything - it depends on the ages of our children or the type of product...).  This can also be access in my friends list on the right side of the blog.

Second option: If you want to see the blogs of everyone in the crew, I now have a blogroll on the right side of my blog.  Simply click on the + to expand the blogroll and you will see a list of all the blog of the crew members.

Voilà!  It's as simple as that. 

Happy reading!

Election day in Canada.   It used to be that employers would let their employees go earlier so that they can go vote...   Advanced voting was allowed only if you had proof that you couldn't vote on Election day.   Things has changed in the last 20 years or so...    We take advantage of the advance voting because we hate waiting a long time on Election Day.   So we did our duty as Canadians about two weeks ago.   And tonight we will learn what our next government will look like - Would it be a Conservative majority or a minority government (either conservative or liberal)?   The whole thing starts at 9pm (EST).   Me?   I will not stay up and hubby will watch it.   He is really following this.

Having a majority government would be nice but I am unsure if we will get it with all the things that are going on.   Honestly, I didn't enjoy the debate and the election campaign this year.   Too much attacking one another I find.   Would you believe me if I tell you that we have 5 major parties in Canada?  And that's not counting the little ones that are trying to get in as well.  There is the Conservatice, the Liberal, the NDP, the Green Party, and The Bloc Quebecois (which is represented only in Quebec - I think that a federal party should be represented in all the country... but looks like it is not the case!  And mind you I am from Quebec.) - and there are those small parties also.   The Bloc Party is there only to represent Quebec at the federal level and make sure that the decisions are made for the Quebecers too!  Their leader will never become a prime minister...

So today it's the final day for the leaders to convince the population to vote for them.   I pray that Canadians make a sensible choice regarding the economic situation these days.  May  our nation be govern by people who will be attentive to the people's need.  

UPDATE:

We now have a strong Conservative minority government...  Hopefully we won't go back in elections for a little while... but you never know with the opposition.

Today is thanksgiving day in Canada...

Which made me think about what I am thankful for...

The bible says "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all curcumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

And in the Psalms often you can read "Give thanks to the LORD for he is good."

So what I am thankful for?

• my relationship with God and the freedom to be a christian


• my husband who helps me a lot - he started homeschooling Alexandre on certain subjects like computers and music.


• my kids and their individual personalities... each one of them are different


• my mom even if our relationship sucks sometimes.  She sacrificed a lot for me in the past.   Wish she could see how much I love her.  


• my in-laws who are very loving and open arms for me (not what my mom had...)


• being able to live the 4 seasons in my country


• having a roof over my head


• contracts for the business


• homeschooling with all it's hardships and happy times


• being on the Homeschooling Crew - can't wait to havemore products to review!


• my eyes so I can read as much as I want


• electricity - I know it's weird but I don't think I would be able to cook on a wood stove.  Honestly I will have to learn if I needed to and it will be a big learning curve but I like having electricity.


• our team for H.E.A.T. Worship House. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I am glad to have finished the accounting of the business for the past year.  I even prepared the excel files for year 2008-2009.   Soon I will be able to enter the First quarter information as well as entering the date for the summary of the year for the past three months.  

But now, I will enjoy Thanksgiving week-end and relax a bit.   I've done my job... now it's hubby's turn to drop off the paperwork and files to the accountant.

This week-end is a long week-end here in Canada.   It's out Thanksgiving.   Honestly, I am wondering why our Thanksgiving is not at the same time as the US...   If anyone know - please write me a note I am extremely curious about this...

We started Thanksgiving week-end with a trip to see the butterflies.   Then yesterday I worked - yep you are reading right... - worked on the accounting of the business.   It has to be done asap and hubby was willing to care for the children.  Me doing accounting and caring for the children - it's not working.   I need to be alone and quiet.  No distractions...   So I was able to bring this a little more closer to completion but I still have some work to do.   Which I will do today because we had church last night!

On the homeschool front - it's okay but I need to organized myself a little bit more I think.  I need to spend more time with Dominic on his letters and numbers.   Alexandre is able to do some things I give him.  

On the crew side of things - it has started.   I already wrote a couple of reviews, send one to the newsletter of my homeschool association (I love it!) and I am waiting for other things to come my way.   Right now I have some things to read - a homeschooling course for new parents considering homeschooling.  Sounds interesting and I am sure I can learn lots from it too since I am in my 2nd year of homeschooling.   You know what I was thinking the other day when I was writing the latest review?   It feels like when I was working on the school paper when I was in high school.   LOL!   The funniest thing is that I have found all the school papers we have written back in 1985-1986 - ouch!  

One of the products that will be reviewed by some of the crew is a course on how to write a novel.   Wish I could get that one on my hands - I am having so much fun writing these days...   But this products is for highschoolers I think and I don't have one.    So for now, I will wait and be patient to see what is sent my way.    Lots of good vendors have signed up.  So keep and eye on my blog to read more reviews!

This morning we packed the kids and drove to one of the universities in town to visit the butterfly exhibit.

 

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Today is the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire which happened in  in 1871.  The ifre leveled 3 1/2  square miles, destroying 17450 buildings and leaving 98500 people homeless and about 250 people dead.   Loss of the city was estimated to 200$ million.  Legend says that the fire began because the cow of Mrs O'Leary kicked a lantern in the barn on DeKoven Street.

On the same day - same year a fire destroyed the entire town of Peshtigo, WI, killing more that 1100 people.  This one was a forest fire which burned across six counties.

Oct 7. 1983 was the big debut of the Cabbage Patch Kids.   And suprisingly you can still find them in stores in 2008...   Amazing.  I was 14 when they came out....  A big too old to buy one.   But when I became a leader in the girl scout a few years later, we needed to create a character for me so I became a clown because I had a costume.   One Cabbage Patch Kid had a clown costume so I bought it to be my sidekick...  Still have it and now she is waiting patiently that Jasmine is old enough to play with it!

We went to close the trailer yesterday and spent part of the day at Logos Land - Boat and Trailer are now resting for winter season....

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Have you ever heard of the William Tell Mom song?   Anita Renfroe song everything a mom could tell in a 24 hours time on the William Tell Overture.  It's hilarious!   Check it out! 

If you go on her website you will hear what dad will say to the kids... LOL

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

I am getting quite addicted to my local library - something that's been years in my life.   Sure when I was in school I borrowed tons of books but now... not so much. 

But with homeschooling buying books can get quite expensive in our family!   What can I say - I'm a book lover through and through.   I'm glad my kids loves books too.   And hubby is happy to see his kids enjoying books at an earlier age than he did.  But realistically, money don't grow on trees...

So I decided to check out the local library.   Got some books a week ago...  Then I finished the first Harry Potter and decided to continue the series... so I went back today and got book 2 - 4.  LOL   Won't be able to miss anything anymore...  I also got Charlie and the chocolate factory as well as it's sequel.   I read the first book when I was younger but never the second one.   I will read these with Alexandre.

Alexandre returned his books and borrowed a bunch of other ones including Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.   It's so cool to see him getting his book and read.

We took it relax today.   Got up way too early because I couldn't sleep...   Since we will be going to a butterfly exhibit next week, I decided to do some butterfly activities.  We didn't do all of them - keeping some for next week.  The kids watched the Magic School Bus about butterflies and I read a book From caterpillar to butterfly.   I also took out my DK eyewitness book on butterflies for reference.   For the kids I printed some butterfly coloring page and Alexandre had different activities like wordsearch, identification of a butterfly part, identification of the grow process as well as a math page on butterflies.

Oh and today we could go vote by anticipation.   So we did.   We prefer voting in advance to avoid the crowd.   Alexandre came with me and I explained to him the whole voting process.   He asked what was a prime minister and I told him.   In Canada, we have a prime minister not a president...   And I told him that we have too many parties - crazy I tell you!    Election Day is on November 14th but our duty as a citizen is already done.   On the 14th you can bet to see my husband in front of the TV to watch the elections though - just like he was in front of the TV in the last two days for the debates (one in French andthe other in English).  

... sitting (literally) in our basement.   That's what happens when you get married and move two appartments in one house without going through your stuff on both side.   You have good intentions of getting rid of your things after the honeymoon.

Then first thing you know... you move to another house and guess what? You move your junk too! 

Then on your 10th anniversary year - you decide to finish the basement which means you need to remove the stuff from there before...  Do you go through the boxes now?  Noooooo!   You wait until it's time to bring it back downstairs remembering that not everything will go back in the house.    Well my father-in-law and mother-in-law (with the help of an uncle-in-law) did a marvelous job for our basement.   We love it...   Then we needed to go through the STUFF... 

Not very motivating when you see tons of boxes in the garage... Literally it was taking the whole place.  So we started slowly...  The things we knew we will keep went in the basement placed in various wardrobes or corners...   Some boxes still need some cleanup but we know we want what's in them.   After a few weeks - we are almost done...  At some point, I thought we will never be able to go through it.   We threw a lot, shredded lots of paper, gave away things we didn't want to keep at the Salvation Army and discovered some little gems... Things from both our past...   Like hubby's braces (don't know why he kept them).

One of my highlights was the discovery of old money - like 1$ Canadian in paper or special money...  Even old pennies that are larger than the normal ones!   I didn't even knew about pennies this big...  Here's what they look like at their full size.

Now we just have to finish the 10 boxes or so left and organize the garage so that we can park the vehicles... before snow comes!

Yep!   Last night, my friend Dayna invited me to introduce me to beading... I had a blast and loved it...  Mind you I am not sure if I will have time to produce lots but hey it's a start.

I made a necklace...  simple one.   I like symetry but Dayna challenged me to try to do it without symetry...   So I do something different somewhere.  Can you find it?   LOL

Tomorrow I am going to get training via a simulcast of the Truth Project.

I can hardly wait...  

For more details go to The Truth Project website.

 This week the assignment is to create a photo essay of our summer...   Summer usually start June 21st but for us it started early June...  Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

LOL - that's me...   I go to ToysRUs the other day and found a Lego box regular price 100$ and on sale at 22$.   Amazing!    Isn't it.    So I brought my mother-in-law the same day and she bought two for two of her grandsons...  

I go to Winners and found an ABC toys in French (WoW!) in 15$ - got it for mother-in-law for a christmas gift.   I also found the famous WordLaunch for 25$ - again for a christmas gift from mother-in-law...  

My latest discovery is at the dollar store near my place.   I go in to check for pirate's hats.   Didn't find any but I found workbooks for my kids...  Got most of them in three copies but some I had only 2 copies or just one...   Bummer.  

Then I found a serie of books on countries - got Thailand, Dominican Republic and Bolivia because this is where our sponsored kids with Compassion are.   I get home and show them to hubby and you know what he tells me?  "Why didn't you bought the whole set?"

Right!   I had thought of that at the store but I thought that he would have said something like "Don't you think we have enough books?" so I took only the three that were touching us... 

So I went back before swimming courses...   At 1$ each it's quite a bargain.  Did a search on the net and found out that they were about 25$ or so... 

And Alexandre started to read the one on Dominican Republic.  Cool!

The library were I live was kind of complicated to go with little ones... But soon they will have a brand new door to allow easy access for family with kids.  You see before you would have to go behind the building and take an elevator and walk a long time, go in the library, take another elevator to go int he kids section.   OUF!   Not too bad mind you but with 4 kids I avoided the library.

Well they will start construction next week... for a door that will go directly to the kids sections.   Yippee!

Anyhow, last night after swimming lessons (with only Alexandre - the other three are contagious still) I went to pick up some books that I had asked to put aside.  Then I went downstairs to check out some books about Egypt for our Mystery of History lessons.   Found little treasures...   I'm so excited.  Alexandre took some books too!   I had directed him toward a easy reader section but when I went to see him he told me that he wanted chapter books - I'm so proud of him...  He loves reading which makes ma heart sign...   So we went to the chapter books section and discovered some Magic School Bus chapter books.   He chose three and started one in the car.  LOL   That's my boy!

Speaking of books...  I will have to tell you the great deal I've found at the dollar store close to my home.   Amazingly you can find little treasures for homeschooling there...

Yep Fall is there and I was prepared.   I had bought all my ingredients in advance and this morning I wanted to bless my sick kids with the famous Fall Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins.  

They are so delicious that I think I will share them with you...

You will need:

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 (16 oz) can pumpkin
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth.  Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.   Mix well.   Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into muffin cups.  Bake at 400F for 16 to 20 minutes.   Makes 24 muffins.

* Honestly, when I do this recipe I always double and put the rest in the freezer.   Delicious with a cold glass of milk.  Try it and tell me if you like it.

I discovered this site last night while surfing.  I found it from another blog but I can't remember which one.  Anyhow, this site works the same way as CurrClick and has ebooks as well.   Every week, they give away one specific e-book.  This week it is about Cooking with Tofu.   I'm not a tofu person per say but I would mind learning how to cook it so I can enjoy it.   I heard that you can enjoy tofu if it's cook the proper way.   Well my latest experience were not that great!  LOL.   They even have a kids section and I think there is great e-book there for ecology subjects like plants and animals.

Anyhow, if you are interested, please check out EcoBrain.  Click on the link below or the one on my sidebar.   Enjoy the discovery.

... MY NEW OFFICE!

This is the door.   I decided to put a caricature we had done back in 1997 as a celebration for our engagement!  Not sure how long it will stay there but for now I think it is cute.

Opening the door you see this section of the room.  My bookshelves and an old desk that my husband used to have when he was younger with the map of Canada on it (an old version - since then Nunavut has appeared on the maps).  This desk is where I will do card making and scrapbooking.

The filing cabinet and my reading chair...  This chair belonged to my parents when they got married.   Now it is mine and in need of upholstery.   But it is so comfy!  Love it!  The desk that you see is Dominic's clothes desk - we need somewhere to put it that is close to his room.

Finally my other desk which was initially bought for hubby but it was giving him back pain so I got it!   I love it.   The stack of paper on the right is not misplaced - it's a reminder that I have to finish the business year-end accounting (all the expenses and so on are in there...).   I need to get that finished ASAP.

Honestly I have blessed 100%.    Now I just have to finish emptying the old office so that we can paint it and set up the room for the kids to do their homework - the dining room is just not working for us anymore.

If only we wouldn't have the nagging idea of potentially moving...   after all that work we have put in our house ie basement finished, my new office and eventually the schoolroom...  but hey God's plan is bigger than ours right?

So Dominic is taking is shower and he keeps calling... 

Me: What?

Dominic:   Can I wash the chicken pox?

Me:  Yes you wash the chicken pox too!

 

I am not Spider-man (for those of you who remember the Who am I? comment in the Spider-man movie.).

I saw this mem over on Heidi's blog and wanted everyone to get to know me better (especially the TOS Crew if they come and visit!).  The activity is quite simply but time consuming.   Today I have time since Alexandre went fishing with dad on his one-on-one activity with him.  They won't come back until tomorrow which gives me time to organized my office and finish some work to be done for the business AND take care of my three chicken pox kids...

Rule:  Answer each question below by going to Google Image Search and display the image of your answer with minimal words...

The age I will be on my next birthday

Place I want to travel to

Thailand 

My favorite Place

My favorite food

Thai food - introduced to me by friends who are missionary in Thailand.

My favorite pet

Cats - this was my cat, Socrates.   Look he had extra toes on his front paws!

My favorite color combination

My favorite piece of clothing

Fuzzy socks!

My all-time favorite song

 

Okay...  I couldn't decide.  I really like Cornelius and Breakfast in Hell both by Newsboys.

My  favorite TV show

 I'm a Little House fan...  watching for season these days - thanks to DVDs.

First name of my significant other

 How convenient - this Robert played Tony Stark aka Ironman and my man collects comic books.

Province I live in 

My screenname/nickname

 I couldn't find a canadian flag with a ladybug - LOL 

My first job

Ice Cream Parlour

My dream job

 Being a mom - I wouldn't change it for anything else... even when sometimes I am drained by the demands.

One bad habit that I have

Okay - my office was not that bad but almost...

My worst fear

Depression - Feeling darkness overwhelming me.

Thing I'd like to do before I die

Bring my family to visit the world  and visit my sponsored children - Compassion Canada (Maruja in Bolivia, Alberto and Indira in Dominican Republic and Orana in Thailand)

First thing I'll buy if I win a million dollar

House on a lake with a dock where we can put the boat and go fishing... Country living!

Present I would like for my next birthday

I miss my SLR camera...  Wish to have a digital SLR with big zoom and flash.

 That was interesting.  Got me thinking for some questions...   Anyhow, I would like everyone who visit my blog to take the time and go through this little meme.   It's fun and I found it relaxing.

 

My pumpkin is sick... not a bad sick but she is not feeling good because of the chicken pox.   She doesn't have any other way to express it but crying.   Nothing comfort her...  only mommy arms actually but sometimes I need to do something else.   Her temperature was rising this morning so I gave her some tylenol.  Now she is sleeping peacefully - hopefully for the whole afternoon.

My 4 year old is okay.  More spots coming up so I cut his nails to avoid scratching.    

This morning - Oh joy coul dit be... yes! - Jérémy has two spots in his back.    Horray.   Exposure was 100% effective.   Thanks to Eva and Zahra Brown (two of the six kids of our friends who are missionary in Thailand and are in Canada until November).   

Me.   Well, I'm a bit tired...  I find that when my kids are sick my sleep is not as hard as it should be...  and with Jasmine being the worst of the three so far... well I think you know what I mean.  

So this chicken pox adventure means no swimming courses on Thursday and no gymnastics on Wednesday for Dominic.   He doesn't know yet and it would be preferable that he doesn't know to avoid any crying - after all he is my drama king...

... and honestly I wonder where does the time go.

This week was busy once again... getting more organized in my office (thanks to my brother-in-law who came to bring the desks upstairs - which means two set of stairs from the basement to the second floor), my bookshelves are up, my printer and scanner are now hooked, we organized the shed in the backyard, cut our months long grass (no kidding I could have done braids with it...), threw more of the 10 year junk, brought a load at Value Village (and more to come), took care of a 9 month old who came down with chicken pox, dried the tears of a 4 year old who got chicken pox on Saturday and couldn't come to the launch of the church (poor kid), did school also and swimming lessons.    OUF!    Busy like a bee... let me tell you that.

What's left to be done is bringing the filing cabinet in the new office, finishing packing up the old office and getting rid of the desk in there, painting, finishing going through the stuff in the garage so that we can park the cars in there when snow comes, finish organizing my office and then took pictures for your dear reader, scrapbooking and card making (especially the christmas ones...).  Oh and also closing down the trailer sometime in October.

So you can see that we are not out of the woods of 10 years of piling things...  But we are seeing the end of it and are quite happy about it.    No more junk from before our marriage (yes I know it's embarrassing!).

Now if only my 2 year old would catch chicken pox I would be happy.

Thanks to the Ashley, daughter of my friend Heidi, my blog has now a new look...

Oh I could have figured it out probably but honestly I don't have the time, patience or courage to do this.   She did it in a record time... Unbelievable.  And to think I have a master degree in information technology.   I used to have a website... and all.   Now I feel like I am obsolete in this area.   

Thank you Ashley for coming to my rescue...