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Hey all - how you doin'??



I have so much to catch up on. I had an absolutely awesome weekend. It was really great!! Mark is home, the kids are good, and all is well on Cranberry Crescent.



The baby is a riot. He has taken to screaming, like a girl! But not like MY girls! Holy man! When he sees Elmo - he just shrieks! After a while, it hurts, after a very short while. And he actually shrieks E-L-M-O now too. We got an electric train for the wooden Thomas track, I didn't know such a thing existed - anyway he is in heaven. I think I'll start asking folks to get that for him for his special days. Hard to figure out what to ask for, but he really really loves the Thomas stuff. And for that matter, so does Phaedra and Makayla. So, the battery train is a pretty pink "Lady". They love her.



Makayla is busy. And fast engaging in the drama that exists when 3 girls get together. No good can come of it. I hope they learn NOW how to communicate without hurting each other and build each other up instead of being critical. I am trying to instill that, but not sure how successful I am being.



I am trying to wean Phaedra off sweets. Since she is such a poor poor eater, it was really easy to bribe her to eat her meals by offering "candy" at the end. This could be a chocolate or a reese cup or a freezie, etc. Anything. A lump of sugar. And the hard this is - IT WORKS!!! Really well. I made the parm chicken from creatingdinners.ca and they ALL at it. It was amazingly fabulous. And it turns out that we are gettting 2 meals out of every 1 that we cook, so that is even better!!!! I am trying to cut out the sweets, but hard for P to understand since it has become such a staple for her. I feel really bad over that, but am trying to communicate the idea of every once in a while. Not every day. Geez, what did I get myself into?!?!?! She is singing all the time non- stop and the songs that she makes up are just a riot!!!



On Thursday, I went to the milling practice with Doug and Sarah (friend from h.s. and his g.f.) It was soooooooooo good to see them. After the practice, we went out for green tea. It was like I had seen Doug yesterday, and like I had always known Sarah. We chatted about everything and it was so refreshing to have some intelluctual conversation instead of chatting about grocery lists and chores. We stayed till close and then still gabbed for ages more in the van. Great couple and great to reunite with them. The milling was awesome too. I feel so lucky to be able to be involved in it, and I find it a lot of fun!!



On Fri, we spent the time getting ready for our company and I made fish chowder for the potluck and ceidlih that I wasn't going to on Sat. It was a ton of work, but it turned out okay. I was nervous as it was my first time making it, but I think anything with cream and butter is good :) I put mussles, scallops, shrimp, haddock and salmon in it. It was good. Lots went back for seconds... later, D&S and Bern and Jeff and I and Mark went to the Rodeo to see Tempted, B's bro Mike's band. They were great. And the night was awesome. I drank entirely too much, and that was a BAD idea considering I had overseas guests the next night, but I wouldn't trade it. We did manage okay. Mark danced a ton - for HIM. And I danced a ton for me :) We had such a fun time and didn't get home till after 3. God love Berna, what a trooper being DD for us - thanks so much!!! We rarely get to drink at the same time. I am coming to think that draught is just a bad idea though!!!



On Sat I was feeling much less than my best and tried to do all my chores from a horizontal position. No so good. But, we got done well enough and headed off to the potluck and to meet our guests. There were 12 Scottish visitors arriving at the ceildih. They are part of a Gaildhig forum and do a lot of singing events. There were 3 native speakers and then all levels of learners and trying to create awareness and visit other areas of that are lving with Gaildhig. It was so interesting to meet each of them and to hear about their story. I am very shy to make small talk and just come out and start chatting to someone, but I realized that this was my only chance, so I'd best not waste it. I did get to chat with 10 of the 12 guests, but time and logistics prevented the rest. I found them to be very down to earth and just overwhelmed with hospitality and welcome. They sang some tunes for us, and us for the them, and there were many that we both knew so sand together. I didn't get a lot of pics, as I didn't want to disturb people with the flash, better to beg forgiveness than ask permission I think.

Anyway it was a great evening of good music, company, laughter and food. D&S came with and even Mark really enjoyed the night. Once home, we headed straight to bed.

Shared a wifesaver for breakkie and fruit salad, etc. And talked about life here and there. And lots of tradition. Then they gave us some lovely gifts, which wasn't needed, but I so much appreciate!!! And will treasure. Our time with them ended all too quickly after we sang a few songs. They were off to CBU and St. FX.

After that headed over to B&J's to vacuum, haul staples out of the floor, and carpet bits from under trim and clear out the room. Lots to do before we even got to the floor. And it was a really really tricky floor due to the unremovable trim, but we did manage to get it and I think it turned out really great. We helped them put laminate down in the master bedroom. I think it was really good for Mark and I. We do work great together as a team. Even though I am a pain in the ass, he admitted that I keep him grounded and we end up with a better job done in the end. I'm a bit of a perfectionist. The kids were awesome and had lots of help with them and had a great supper. And even had a pretty good sleepover for Makayla in the end. So, all's well.

Monday was a little of this and a little of that and had M's g.f.'s here. Then she went to visit a daycare friend that she hasn't seen in a couple of years and was really happy to get to do that. Other than that, I still have WAY more TO DO than I can actually do. And am always feeling behind. I am still on the exercise wagon though, so that is a good thing. For me. Now I just have to get on board with the eating thing and we'll be all set! :)

Hope you are all well out there in blogland!!!