Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Off to the races...

I will be on hiatus (I love using that word) as I am going out of town until Monday...so until then:
I hope you find a great Chinese food restaurant
I hope that you laugh til you almost pee your pants
AND
I hope that you find that perfect pair of shoes that make you smile!

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Who knew vanilla bean could cause such a conflict?

My cell phone rang with the tune that I had set aside specifically for my husband.
"Hey Jeep."
"Hey yourself," said his handsome voice. I knew that wherever and whatever he was doing at that particular moment, he looked good. You could hear it in his voice.

"I was just wondering if there was anything that I could do right now, at this particular moment, that would bless you."
I told you he looked good, and after that question I was completely assured that the man would always be uber-attractive to me.

My mind raced: what could he do? what could he do?
He was already out tonight--which meant that as soon as I have the kids in bed I will have silence. He's already givien me the moon! Having complete silence is already a delicious gift.What could he possibly add to it?
I respond with my usual brilliance:
"I dunno. Surprise me."
"O.K."
Five minutes later, as I am trying to discern between the clean clothes and the dirty ones that are decorating my daughter's floor, I hear a knock on the window.
Vanilla bean frozen starbucks in hand, my love smiles at me.
sigh.
The man is good and looks good.

I take the Starbucks from him and he gets back to his evening. He needs some time to himself. We currently live in a one bedroom apartment. Our bedroom is in the living room, our daughter's occupy the advertised "one bedroom" part of our abode. So, space, quiet, and stillness is something we both find to be a precious commodity in our lives. Right now, my momentary sphere of bliss is in the consumption of a vanilla bean frozen drink.
My babies observe the state of reverie I enter as I take the first sip. They want to try some. Who can blame them?
Anne loves it and pronounces it to be divine. I concur.
Brie, my 19 month old, tries some and then immediately grabs for seconds.
I gingerly, yet firmly take the cup from her pudgy, outstretched hands.
"No, honey. This is Mommy's drink."
Well, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, even if the woman is 19 months old.
For the next ten minutes, I witness one of the most dramatic performances of our time. The pain, the agony, the torture of this little soul being deprived of yet another sip of the frozen vanilla bean drink!
Well, my resolve is as a rock.
No more little tastes.
No more little sips.
I put my little cup of heaven away from prying hands and a wailing mouth. I listen to Anne's commentary on My Little Pony's trip to the ice cream shop.
With the goods out of sight, I reach for my toddler and beckon her to be folded into my arms.
"NO," she pouts and runs into the field of undiscernable laundry.

Who knew vanilla bean could cause such a conflict?

Mother and daughter relations are tested over the mere flavour of good ol' vanilla bean.
In spite of the emotionally volcanic eruption from my youngest, I smile to myself.
The truth is I am still blessed. I have a handsome husband who spoils me rotten and I have two great kids who are no less dramatic than I.
And above all, afte I've put them to bed and finally solved the Laundry Code, I will have the purely blissful experience of savouring my vanilla bean drink in. complete. and. utter. silence.

Ahhhhhh.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

running through rainbows

Today I took my girls to the park and for a hike through the coulees. So much fun. And yet as the sun-drenched rays of morning became the heat waves of early afternoon, we found ourselves sweaty and on the verge of whining.
To my way of thinking there was only one way to put an end to the ensuing moments of suffering: I found a park that was still running it's sprinkler system.
"Come on,Anne. Let's go get wet!"
"Wheeeeeee!"
We ran back and forth through the sprinklers, Brienda giving a little groan whenever the water would hit her in the back of the head.
"Mommy, let's run through the rainbows again."
I thought that Anne was referring to the arches of shooting water. But then, she showed me. If you stood at just the right angle, you could see multitudes of colours. A technicolour tunnel daring us to intrude.
I looked at Anne. She reached for my hand. I grabbed hers tightly as we headed for the mists of the rainbow.
"Wheeeeeeeee!"

Monday, June 11, 2007

my fave brit sitcom

OK, so I have sent this to a few people and everyone has agreed that it is hilarious, so here it is.
They are two scenes from the Vicar of Dibley. the first is when she thinks that the man she loves is going to marry someone else and the second scene is when he clarifies it all for her.
Enjoy!


Friday, June 8, 2007

8 years ago today...


8 years ago today I met my husband for the first time.
I got off a plane and walked into the airport and saw this amazing man. Sigh. Those green eyes still get me every time.
8 years ago today my life was completely and forever changed for the better. I wonder what will happen today that will forever and completely change my life...hmmm...