I had quite the experience yesterday. I went to a food pantry with a friend for moral support and I have to say that it was a humbling experience. While I wasn't there to get food for myself the experience made quite an impact. It was held at a church and while it seemed all the volunteers where there to be helpful and friendly I felt like a second class citizen. I'm sure, at least I'm hoping, that wasn't their intent but I didn't feel as if they were genuine about my well-being. They of course asked if we needed prayer for anything and since we are doing really well, I said no. I'm sure that they are used to people just coming in, getting their food and leaving... and I'm sure that they feel pretty used. However, as a Christian myself the way that they conducted themselves as 'Christians' made me pretty angry to call myself one. I'm struggling to put into words why it bothered me so much, but it did. I think overall the thing that pissed me off the most was that I felt like I had no dignity. And I hate how somebody/something can take away what I believe is a human right. Everybody's walk of life is different and what they find acceptable will vary from person to person, but I believe that everybody should be able to carry themselves with dignity.
It may also be because I said this post on FB from someone who clearly has good intentions but is super naive.
"Now, I don't normally get into political stuff on fb, but this is the perfect example of why government assistance programs do not work. Someone always ends up taking advantage of them, driving up tax costs & national debt, increasing burden on the working class, etc, etc. The government is essentially incentivizing people to not work. In my opinion, the government should take its hand OUT of this area, and allow the church to step up and take care of those truly in need, and spread the Love of Christ!"
I just didn't even know where to start with this. I guess, we will start with the political statements. The government is really incentivizing people to not work?! Really? Yes, I'm sure that they LOVE it when people don't work. Also, I'm sure that government funded programs are the sole purpose for driving up the national debt and increasing the burden on the working class. I think the only true statement in this whole thing is that someone always ends up taking advantage of them... be it the government or the CHURCH as she provided for a solution. Which brings me to the next point that pisses me off. As somebody who claims they love Jesus lets take away something that is out there to help the needy. I'm sure that's exactly what Jesus would've told people to do. Oh wait... no He didn't. If she really thinks that the church is going to do a better job at helping the 'needy' how does she propose they will screen for those who are really 'in need?' Doesn't she think that this system is going to get taken advantage of also?
I am under no pretense that people don't game the welfare system. Yes, there are people out there who would rather collect welfare and not try to actively better themselves. Yes, there are people out there who are completely satisfied with that being their life. Yes, there are people out there who don't work which does cause the ones that do work to help out in a situation that isn't of their choosing. But, GET OVER IT. As somebody who can work and has enough, shouldn't you want to help and be a blessing to others? You don't have to be doormat and just let people walk all over you, but I think the perspective is off. If you have enough and are blessed, I would think you would want to bless others. I just wanted to tell her that I hope that her life continues to be blessed so that she doesn't ever need to ask for help. Especially if she claims to want to spread the love of Jesus to help others out. And, let's not forget the whole reason why the Puritans came to America in the first place... to get away from the church of England and their power over the people. Pretty much you're never going to please everybody and whether the church were to take over and 'run' things, as it were, I can guarantee you that they aren't going to do a better job than the government. And, clearly, she is thinking that it would be a Christian church to take over... what would happen if any other denomination needed help? Turn them away because they don't believe in the same "God" you do? You don't get assistance because you're gay? ::shaking head::
I don't understand why people think that because you say you are a Christian that means you can't be a liberal. When really, if you sit and THINK (which, yes, I'm bashing a few right wingers here... because clearly this isn't something they do often... or at least think of others and not themselves...) being a Christian and a liberal makes more sense. Because, I'm fairly certain Jesus was pretty liberal. Being liberal and a Christian (heck a scientist on top of that) aren't contradictions... they make sense.
JVG
Family photo Oct 2010
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
School VG style
A lot of people keep asking what we are going to do about starting Dude on school because he is already so far ahead... and our answer is that we are still thinking homeschooling. It's going fairly well for us right now and it seems like this style of learning is effective for him. I mean, the kid already knows all his states in alphabetical order and knows where they are geographically on a map! He is almost done learning his multiplication tables and can read and write better than more 2nd graders we know. He is really into helping Goose learn things too, which is scary! He's really smart, but now she is learning things that he is learning but at much younger age. The other day I heard her singing the states song too and when I rounded the corner and she saw me she stopped... sand bagger.
I think next we are going to start Dude on a musical instrument. I think my parents are going to get him a keyboard for Christmas, so I can start him on that. Right now we are trying to see if Lucy is left handed or right... and honestly, I think she's both. We were practicing writing the other morning and she was doing a really good job with her left hand (it was quite good actually) and then I saw her switch to her right (and she was doing about the same) because, "she was getting tired of using the other hand." So, she may very well be ambidextrous... and she would be stubborn enough to pull it off.
Socially I think that they are doing just fine. In some ways I think that they are a little ahead of the curve because we treat them like adults so they understand the bigger picture. For instance the other day Dude asked me, "Why the wind was blowing so ferociously..." I said, "ferocious huh?" And he said, "Yeah Momma. Just LISTEN to it." haha. And then he told me that he needed dinner because he was ravenous. Right...
JVG
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| Poor kids are getting pigeon holed into science... they never stood a chance. |
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| Doing some writing |
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| Dude doing his school work |
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| Left hand... not a bad looking A |
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| Right hand... W! |
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| Yup... |
Socially I think that they are doing just fine. In some ways I think that they are a little ahead of the curve because we treat them like adults so they understand the bigger picture. For instance the other day Dude asked me, "Why the wind was blowing so ferociously..." I said, "ferocious huh?" And he said, "Yeah Momma. Just LISTEN to it." haha. And then he told me that he needed dinner because he was ravenous. Right...
JVG
Lazy Sunday with Gracie
We had the privilege of spending a nice Sunday afternoon with the Ullrey's. Gracie invited us over to her parents, which we are always pleased to accept. It was such a nice afternoon of just hanging out, and letting our adopted grandparents play with the kids. :) I think the reason why I like hanging out so much is that they are very chill, and all the things that we think are fun to do, they do as well. I know my posts don't reflect how much fun we have over there, but its hard to put into words the experience... just know it's awesome.
There was a moment in the afternoon where if I didn't get up and do something I'd probably still be sleeping on their couch. So, the kids and I, Levi and Gracie played outside raking/blowing leaves. It was a beautiful fall day and running around you kept pretty warm! Meanwhile, Norah was bonding with Rick over some TED talks :) Gotta love it.
I gotta get started on Nancy's Christmas gift... think I'll start tonight! Hopefully we will see them before the holidays are up. :) Looking forward to the next visit.
JVG
There was a moment in the afternoon where if I didn't get up and do something I'd probably still be sleeping on their couch. So, the kids and I, Levi and Gracie played outside raking/blowing leaves. It was a beautiful fall day and running around you kept pretty warm! Meanwhile, Norah was bonding with Rick over some TED talks :) Gotta love it.
I gotta get started on Nancy's Christmas gift... think I'll start tonight! Hopefully we will see them before the holidays are up. :) Looking forward to the next visit.
JVG
Schamper visit
Last Monday our friends the Schampers came to visit! After coming off a fairly busy weekend, I wasn't sure how prepared I was for this visit. It went well though. Both Tristan and Kai were having some issue with sharing toys, but at least it was both of them not just one of our kids being bundas. I know that may sound strange but it's actually harder (in my opinion) when only one if being naughty... I'm not sure why. Lucy and Sakura played well together but they were also interested in doing their own thing. I was so excited when they showed up and had brought sushi... mmm... I made macaroni and cheese bites which they were pretty pleased with! It's harder to cook for them because Michael is more of a picky eater than the rest of us. But... after dinner we took them to froyo (per Dude's request).
They had a great time. All the kids did really well with their toppings too! They had to get back a little early because there were things to get done around the house, but we enjoyed the time with them. :)
JVG
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| This is Kai BTW... they look very similar.. |
They had a great time. All the kids did really well with their toppings too! They had to get back a little early because there were things to get done around the house, but we enjoyed the time with them. :)
JVG
Busy weekend
This past weekend was my first KPhil concert of the season! We had a pretty intense program... a Strauss that featured a soprano (the last four songs) and Mahler's Symphony 1, which is a major orchestral work. We normally have dress rehearsal on Thursday but our soprano couldn't make it that day so we had it Saturday morning. It. Was. Bad. I thought that Andrew was going to strangle somebody... and you could see his frustration growing. We finished up the rehearsal and he looked defeated. So... that was almost 3 hours of playing already that day.
Then, I got home and got dinner started and did a bit of quick clean up before our friends came over. Then as tradition has it our friends Quebra and Dizzy came over before the concert and hung out with the family. They were even on time ;) (haha... Love you Quebra!) We did a lot of hanging out and being silly with the kids until I may or may not have fallen sleep in one of the kids beds as they were playing around me. I woke up because it was time to make dinner and our other couple friends were arriving. Dinner got made, eaten and then my family showed up. Sister, her kids, mom and dad, and brother and girlfriend. It was a bit of a madhouse!
The concert was wonderful. We performed the best we had ever performed and it was amazing. I got goosebumps a few times when playing. And, for me, the best part was having two rows of support. It was very touching to see so many people come and watch my concert because I invited them. It also helps that we did a good job, but even if we didn't, its amazing that people would drive down (some a few hours) to watch. It made me feel good.
I also got invited to play in BeethovenFest this year. A lot of KSO members play and even though we're not getting paid for it, its a pretty professional gig. My conductor of KPhil recommended me for it which was flattering! We get our music ahead of time, we have two rehearsals and then we perform! So, Dec 28th if you all are free... come see another amazing concert!
To top off the weekend I ran my first 9 miler since my running hiatus and it felt good! The miles are definitely piling on and I am definitely getting some blisters to prove it. I'm thinking of hitting up Gazelle sometime soon (before my next big run) and see if there are different socks out there for me. I do have to get in 10 this weekend, so we shall see how that goes!
JVG
Then, I got home and got dinner started and did a bit of quick clean up before our friends came over. Then as tradition has it our friends Quebra and Dizzy came over before the concert and hung out with the family. They were even on time ;) (haha... Love you Quebra!) We did a lot of hanging out and being silly with the kids until I may or may not have fallen sleep in one of the kids beds as they were playing around me. I woke up because it was time to make dinner and our other couple friends were arriving. Dinner got made, eaten and then my family showed up. Sister, her kids, mom and dad, and brother and girlfriend. It was a bit of a madhouse!
The concert was wonderful. We performed the best we had ever performed and it was amazing. I got goosebumps a few times when playing. And, for me, the best part was having two rows of support. It was very touching to see so many people come and watch my concert because I invited them. It also helps that we did a good job, but even if we didn't, its amazing that people would drive down (some a few hours) to watch. It made me feel good.
I also got invited to play in BeethovenFest this year. A lot of KSO members play and even though we're not getting paid for it, its a pretty professional gig. My conductor of KPhil recommended me for it which was flattering! We get our music ahead of time, we have two rehearsals and then we perform! So, Dec 28th if you all are free... come see another amazing concert!
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| Blister city... |
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| Best socks ever! I highly recommend |
To top off the weekend I ran my first 9 miler since my running hiatus and it felt good! The miles are definitely piling on and I am definitely getting some blisters to prove it. I'm thinking of hitting up Gazelle sometime soon (before my next big run) and see if there are different socks out there for me. I do have to get in 10 this weekend, so we shall see how that goes!
JVG
Family photos
Today we braved the idea of getting family photos. I was pretty proud of myself that we got all the kids bathed, dressed, and to the studio without stains or anything else going wrong. To me the idea of getting them done is really stressful... so many different factors! But, overall, I think that they turned out pretty cute. Norah and Lucy didn't show off their adorable little smiles as much as they normally do, but we got a few good ones. Honestly, the hardest part of the whole thing was after looking at the reviews seeing how grown up Tristan looks. He definitely isn't my little baby anymore... he's quite the handsome little Dude. Le sigh. I'll put up some pictures of the family once we get them back. :)
JVG
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| Just a quick pic off the computer but my little boy... |
JVG
SUCCESS!!
I know that this probably doesn't make me sound like the most compassionate person but I am doing a happy dance right now because our crazy neighbor Margo got her 24 hour notice eviction letter. I know I blogged briefly about her and her antics but let me elaborate a little bit more...
As I mentioned before she got her door rammed down in the middle of the night and they took things. The complex was waiting to get a police report from the incident so that they could move forward with the eviction process but all the authorities were really evasive about it and even said that there wasn't one... which, sounds shady at best. Turns out it was the drug squad and the DEA... she in BIG trouble. Apparently they had taken drugs out of the home when they rammed the door in and they didn't take her in because I believe that she turned over people higher up on the drug distributing food chain. This is still an open investigation but I really believe that she will be going to prison. The stupid woman called the owners of Rosewood to complain about her door being rammed down and she confessed that she gets drugs IN THE MAIL but she just leaves them there for her cousin, who is the international drug dealer, not her. ::blink blink:: Using the postal service to transport drugs... felony=prison. Not only that I guess child protective services was called and I can't imagine that they would let Sonny stay with her. The whole thing is really sad for Sonny because he was born into this situation and he is suffering the consequences of his parents poor choices... but I hope that the system doesn't fail him and that he will hopefully be able to get a fresh start.
She is supposed to be out by tonight but I don't think that's going to be happen. I haven't seen her pack anything or ever seen our out of the house. She just shuffles around like she does when she's high like everything is normal. The police said that if she wasn't out that they would seize the apartment... and that she would be forcibly removed if she didn't go on her own. She could take them to court but if she did then she would have to state why she was getting evicted and having 'drugs' on your permanent record isn't going to make finding a new place to live very easy. Although, she might take them to court just to 'spite' them, and not think of what it means in the long run.
I am just happy that we won't have to worry about her craziness spilling over onto our family. I know it sounds harsh and uncaring, but I really am looking out for my family first. I'm sure there will be some drama in the near future as we try to purge ourselves of her, but for now, at least steps are being made in the right direction.
JVG
As I mentioned before she got her door rammed down in the middle of the night and they took things. The complex was waiting to get a police report from the incident so that they could move forward with the eviction process but all the authorities were really evasive about it and even said that there wasn't one... which, sounds shady at best. Turns out it was the drug squad and the DEA... she in BIG trouble. Apparently they had taken drugs out of the home when they rammed the door in and they didn't take her in because I believe that she turned over people higher up on the drug distributing food chain. This is still an open investigation but I really believe that she will be going to prison. The stupid woman called the owners of Rosewood to complain about her door being rammed down and she confessed that she gets drugs IN THE MAIL but she just leaves them there for her cousin, who is the international drug dealer, not her. ::blink blink:: Using the postal service to transport drugs... felony=prison. Not only that I guess child protective services was called and I can't imagine that they would let Sonny stay with her. The whole thing is really sad for Sonny because he was born into this situation and he is suffering the consequences of his parents poor choices... but I hope that the system doesn't fail him and that he will hopefully be able to get a fresh start.
She is supposed to be out by tonight but I don't think that's going to be happen. I haven't seen her pack anything or ever seen our out of the house. She just shuffles around like she does when she's high like everything is normal. The police said that if she wasn't out that they would seize the apartment... and that she would be forcibly removed if she didn't go on her own. She could take them to court but if she did then she would have to state why she was getting evicted and having 'drugs' on your permanent record isn't going to make finding a new place to live very easy. Although, she might take them to court just to 'spite' them, and not think of what it means in the long run.
I am just happy that we won't have to worry about her craziness spilling over onto our family. I know it sounds harsh and uncaring, but I really am looking out for my family first. I'm sure there will be some drama in the near future as we try to purge ourselves of her, but for now, at least steps are being made in the right direction.
JVG
Chompers
Norah has finally popped those teeth that she has been working on! It seems like she has been teething for months now (the drool! Oh the drool!) and she has broken the gums for her bottom two teeth.
I remember when the other two where little and I didn't want them to get teeth because I thought their gummy toothless smile was oh so adorable... and of course when they got their teeth they were even more cute... but with Norah I was quite excited for her! She has been longingly looking at all of our food so maybe I can excited that she will be on her way to eating it!
Seriously in a week she has become a master crawler, sitter, chatter/roarer (she is so loud!) can definitely vocalize her displeasure and has popped teeth. Growing up too fast! But, I am really excited for her!
JVG
I remember when the other two where little and I didn't want them to get teeth because I thought their gummy toothless smile was oh so adorable... and of course when they got their teeth they were even more cute... but with Norah I was quite excited for her! She has been longingly looking at all of our food so maybe I can excited that she will be on her way to eating it!
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| Little chompers on the bottom! |
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| She's trying to do the stairs... oh boy |
Seriously in a week she has become a master crawler, sitter, chatter/roarer (she is so loud!) can definitely vocalize her displeasure and has popped teeth. Growing up too fast! But, I am really excited for her!
JVG
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Culinary Arrival
As you know for the past couple of years I've been making Gaetan's classes (whether he was teaching or was the student) treats on exam day. Let's be real... nobody wants to be taking exams and if you can have just a little something to look forward to I think it makes it more tolerable. And, college kids loved anything homemade! For the professors that Gaetan has had for multiple semesters they have grown accustomed to this tradition.
As many of you know Gaetan has been kicking butt and taking names on his road to becoming Gaetan PhD. :) He has already passed his qualifier and to finish it up he has to do his comprehensive. It's just a two hour oral exam in front of a panel of his professors... no big deal ;) I guess they like to make things a bit nicer for the panel so they have snacks and goodies which they usually just purchase from a store. But... this time, a handful of the professors asked if instead of spending the money on store bought treats if they gave it to me if I would somewhat cater Gaetan's comprehensive. :)
It made me feel pretty good about myself. I really do try my hardest to represent Gaetan the best way that I can as a stay at home Mom and this was one way I thought I could. It's nice to see that people appreciate my cooking, because it's something that I really enjoy doing. So, I have been happily keeping an eye out for fun recipes for his comprehensive and can't wait to start making them!
JVG
As many of you know Gaetan has been kicking butt and taking names on his road to becoming Gaetan PhD. :) He has already passed his qualifier and to finish it up he has to do his comprehensive. It's just a two hour oral exam in front of a panel of his professors... no big deal ;) I guess they like to make things a bit nicer for the panel so they have snacks and goodies which they usually just purchase from a store. But... this time, a handful of the professors asked if instead of spending the money on store bought treats if they gave it to me if I would somewhat cater Gaetan's comprehensive. :)
It made me feel pretty good about myself. I really do try my hardest to represent Gaetan the best way that I can as a stay at home Mom and this was one way I thought I could. It's nice to see that people appreciate my cooking, because it's something that I really enjoy doing. So, I have been happily keeping an eye out for fun recipes for his comprehensive and can't wait to start making them!
JVG
Friday, November 15, 2013
I have finally joined the world of Instagram. I know I'm a little late to the party, but getting old is hard. All these new fangled things to keep up with... but I love it because I definitely am obsessed with taking pictures, mainly of my kids, and now that my phone has a wicked camera on it I am out of control! I try to only put the best ones up on there, but follow me and love the adoreableness of my kids with me. MommaPomba is my name, so look me up! :) Also, I like stalking... er... looking at other people's pictures.
JVG
JVG
My brother is a Dad
Tonight I got a wonderful text from my brother, and it was a picture of him with his newborn son, Daniel. It was a bit of a long road for this to happen, but it did, and we couldn't be more excited for them. May all the wonderful things that parenthood brings them continue to bless, enrich and teach them about what is important in life. I can't wait to snug the little man!
JVG
JVG
In the groove
I have finally hit my stride (that's punny because I'm talking about running). The most I've run so far is 7 miles (and that was on a treadmill! Woof!) and I've run a few 6 milers with friends. I am starting to finally get to the point where I don't feel like I'm going to die every quarter mile and I'm starting to think that I can actually get this half marathon done. :) I have lost a few more pounds which is always encouraging and I'm getting into the more running heavy portion of my training. Before the majority of the workout was the NTC but now we are into running 5 days a week, NTC once and resting one day. Definitely putting in the miles but I'm liking it and it's making me feel more energized. Unfortunately I was sick yesterday but I think that I am on the mend. My run today was a lot better than last, but I think it was because I couldn't breath due to my getting sick... ;) Feeling good! Here we go!
JVG
PS I know that I said that I would never run another marathon, but the next big goal is Chicago 2014. Get some.
JVG
PS I know that I said that I would never run another marathon, but the next big goal is Chicago 2014. Get some.
Sassy Lucy
I know that this isn't a new topic but our dear Lucy... the more she talks the funnier/sassier she gets. I firmly believe that she had all that sass bottled up inside her before this, but she can finally express herself and get it out. It's really quite entertaining and I love it!
A few gems:
-The other day she was talking with Tristan and then she said, "Tristan Caden Michael Get Back Here VanGyseghem" and I looked at her and asked if her she thought that "Get back here" was part of his name. She nodded and smiled at me like, well, of course! That's what always follows the rest of his middle names. haha. The things that they pick up on!
-The other day Dude was being pretty whiney about something and so Lucy matter of factly walks up behind him, pulls the back part of his waist on his pants and said, "Nope. No poop. You no baby." I guess she has seen us check Norah and equated being a baby to pooping your pants... so the fact that he was acting like a baby must've meant that he pooped.
-Along the same lines... a kid at her swim class was throwing an epic fit and was trying to splash her in the face. She said, "You get away from me, you baby!" Now, this kid was wearing a diaper and when she said that he tried to protest saying he wasn't and she just said, "Yes you are. You wear diaper. Mean you are baby." and then swam away. Love her sass.
Lucy is also a great dancer. If you can ever get her to dance you should. And her little run/prance/twist she does makes me smile every time. She can spell her name and Tristan's and sings the alphabet.
She also is developing a sense of her own style. She picks out her clothes when we go shopping and has an opinion on what she should wear daily. Not only that but she definitely tells me what sort of hairstyle I should give her to match said outfit. She is a funny one that Goose Girl!
JVG
A few gems:
-The other day she was talking with Tristan and then she said, "Tristan Caden Michael Get Back Here VanGyseghem" and I looked at her and asked if her she thought that "Get back here" was part of his name. She nodded and smiled at me like, well, of course! That's what always follows the rest of his middle names. haha. The things that they pick up on!
-The other day Dude was being pretty whiney about something and so Lucy matter of factly walks up behind him, pulls the back part of his waist on his pants and said, "Nope. No poop. You no baby." I guess she has seen us check Norah and equated being a baby to pooping your pants... so the fact that he was acting like a baby must've meant that he pooped.
-Along the same lines... a kid at her swim class was throwing an epic fit and was trying to splash her in the face. She said, "You get away from me, you baby!" Now, this kid was wearing a diaper and when she said that he tried to protest saying he wasn't and she just said, "Yes you are. You wear diaper. Mean you are baby." and then swam away. Love her sass.
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| She plays hard... |
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| I think this pretty much sums Lucy up. Wanted to wear a collared shirt under her fuzzy PJ's, while sitting in a bin playing on my old phone. |
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| She wanted to show Duder her button... |
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| They thought it was hilarious |
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| Again, this face pretty much sums up Lucy. Having a great time and you tell her to smile and this is what you get |
Lucy is also a great dancer. If you can ever get her to dance you should. And her little run/prance/twist she does makes me smile every time. She can spell her name and Tristan's and sings the alphabet.
She also is developing a sense of her own style. She picks out her clothes when we go shopping and has an opinion on what she should wear daily. Not only that but she definitely tells me what sort of hairstyle I should give her to match said outfit. She is a funny one that Goose Girl!
JVG
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Nursery time
Our sweet Norah has been in the nursery now for about a month. The first time she was dropped off she wasn't thrilled, but I didn't get paged back during the service and they said she did really well! Ever since that when I drop her off she doesn't get upset at all. The transition goes well when I can nurse her before hand, so we get to church a little earlier so I can get that done. It was always a dilemma when we should start her but she was getting more mobile and wanted to be doing things, so I wasn't able to listen to the message, so we thought we'd give it a try. Now all the kiddos are in the back doing Sunday School or nursery. Yikes... they're growing up to fast!
Along those lines since Norah has been eating more and more baby food she has actually been refusing to nurse. :( For those of you who know me well, know that I enjoy my time with the kids while they nurse. And now, Miss Norah is getting so independent and all grown up that she only does it at night time or right before a nap (which she has also cut down on as well.) It is partially nice because that means Gaetan will be able to feed her and appease her if I'm not around, but it's also sad because this Momma loves her snug time with her babes. Le sigh. I know that they have to grow up sometime and I enjoy the different stages as they come, but knowing she's my last is a little bitter sweet.
JVG
Along those lines since Norah has been eating more and more baby food she has actually been refusing to nurse. :( For those of you who know me well, know that I enjoy my time with the kids while they nurse. And now, Miss Norah is getting so independent and all grown up that she only does it at night time or right before a nap (which she has also cut down on as well.) It is partially nice because that means Gaetan will be able to feed her and appease her if I'm not around, but it's also sad because this Momma loves her snug time with her babes. Le sigh. I know that they have to grow up sometime and I enjoy the different stages as they come, but knowing she's my last is a little bitter sweet.
JVG
Orphan Black
We started this new series last weekend and yes, we have already watched the first season. I am sad that there is only one season out because it's SO INTERESTING. I highly recommend this sci-fi drama. It's pretty intense, just as a warning. There are definite moments that I had to not watch because they were disturbing but, it wasn't just for the shock value, it helped the plot along for sure.
It's about a woman, named Sarah, who witnesses another woman commit suicide. Right before she jumps in front of a train Sarah sees that the woman looks just like her. Through a series of events Sarah finds out that she's a clone and that there are a handful of clones walking around, but they are being killed off. So the first season is finding out about the different clones, their lives, the ethical dilemma that is human cloning and trying to stay alive with an assassin on the loose.
JVG
It's about a woman, named Sarah, who witnesses another woman commit suicide. Right before she jumps in front of a train Sarah sees that the woman looks just like her. Through a series of events Sarah finds out that she's a clone and that there are a handful of clones walking around, but they are being killed off. So the first season is finding out about the different clones, their lives, the ethical dilemma that is human cloning and trying to stay alive with an assassin on the loose.
JVG
Friday, November 8, 2013
Momma's night out
Last Saturday we didn't go to my parents for pizza and beer (gasp!) Instead my good friend Bryan came down for a visit. The last time I talked about Bryan (which is weird because I've always called him Beaker) was when he flew in from Seattle for a quick interview and he got the job at our old high school as the new orchestra director! It's a shame that he's been here for a couple of months and this is the first time that we've gotten a chance to hang out but he had to settle into a new state/job and well, I suppose life with 3 small ones is never dull.
We had a great time. He loves hanging out with our kids. And lucky for him, the kids like him too! Our friend Tricia has a competition with him to see who can be their favorite. Dude told him as soon as he walked in the door that he was cooler than Tricia... haha. They played all sorts of things and we even got to go to the Dino playground and play hide and seek! The first time Bryan hid Dude couldn't find him. It took him a good long while and eventually he told me that he thought that Bryan went home.
Eventually we went to have dinner with Tricia. Bryan and I went over to her place for dinner and just hung out. It was a lot of fun! We had some spicy spicy stir fry and apple crisp and then Cory came over and we had a rowdy time of euchre. It definitely wasn't my finest hours of playing, but it was just so good to get out and be a little nutty. So, thank you dear husband for letting me gain some sanity back! We eventually had to go home because Norah woke up, but it was good timing. Lots of fun had by all... looking forward to the next time that we can all hang out!
JVG
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| Bryans hiding spot... haha |
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| When it was Dude's turn he hid in the exact same spot... little stinker! |
We had a great time. He loves hanging out with our kids. And lucky for him, the kids like him too! Our friend Tricia has a competition with him to see who can be their favorite. Dude told him as soon as he walked in the door that he was cooler than Tricia... haha. They played all sorts of things and we even got to go to the Dino playground and play hide and seek! The first time Bryan hid Dude couldn't find him. It took him a good long while and eventually he told me that he thought that Bryan went home.
Eventually we went to have dinner with Tricia. Bryan and I went over to her place for dinner and just hung out. It was a lot of fun! We had some spicy spicy stir fry and apple crisp and then Cory came over and we had a rowdy time of euchre. It definitely wasn't my finest hours of playing, but it was just so good to get out and be a little nutty. So, thank you dear husband for letting me gain some sanity back! We eventually had to go home because Norah woke up, but it was good timing. Lots of fun had by all... looking forward to the next time that we can all hang out!
JVG
Playdate
I had written before about my best friend from middle school who needed ankle surgery and I went to visit with her while she was recovering. I am happy to say that she is walking around and is doing much better. We got together again at the library in Caledonia with all the kiddos this time! It was a lot of fun watching them interact together and to see what they liked and weren't so impressed with. Her kids are much closer together than mine... her oldest is a little bit older than younger than Lucy and her second is a little bit older than Norah. It's fun to see where life has taken us and its nice that we can still get together and catch up. :)
JVG
JVG
Halloween Activities
This year on the actual day of Halloween we didn't go trick or treating. We went to my parents house and hung out with my sister and her kids but it was really rainy and nasty out, so we decided not to go. However, the week before we did a couple of fun things!
The children's museum does an event on Thursday night, which is their discounted time so its usually more busy than normal, but this time with the promise of candies and prizes the line was out the door! They had to count to make sure that they stayed within capacity and it was wall to wall people. We went with the cousins and Aunt Holly but didn't stay very long... I was starting to panic with all the people there! It was definitely overwhelming... You couldn't even really play with anything because there were kids everywhere and the amount of candy/prizes to stress of being there wasn't worth it for me! I just told the kids I would buy them some candy from the store so we could leave haha. It was good hanging out with the cousins though :)
The next day we went to Binder Park Zoo for their Zoo Boo. We went last year and deemed that it was much better than John Balls. The weather wasn't raining but it wasn't very warm. Even though I made the dino hoodies we still layered up underneath... we went with Kim, Chase and Kim's twin sister Kathy. It was a lot of fun. We even got some candy! :) They rode the train, did the candy trail, saw some animals and did their carnival. Last year we didn't do the carnival games but this year we thought we'd try it and they had a lot of fun. They both tried a pumpkin toss, a duck picking thing and then Dude did a skunk launch. And the first time he did it he got it in! They played on the little playground there for a little bit until we decided that we couldn't feel our hands anymore so we went home and got some dinner.
I was happy that we got a chance to do something for them and it wasn't all about the scary part of Halloween, but the fun part of dressing up and getting free candy! You know the prank that Jimmy Kimmel wants parents to do on their kids and say they ate all their Halloween candy? Well, I told Dude that I had eaten all his candy while he was sleeping and he said, "You would." Eek. haha.
JVG
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| Our pumpkin shaped pizza! |
The children's museum does an event on Thursday night, which is their discounted time so its usually more busy than normal, but this time with the promise of candies and prizes the line was out the door! They had to count to make sure that they stayed within capacity and it was wall to wall people. We went with the cousins and Aunt Holly but didn't stay very long... I was starting to panic with all the people there! It was definitely overwhelming... You couldn't even really play with anything because there were kids everywhere and the amount of candy/prizes to stress of being there wasn't worth it for me! I just told the kids I would buy them some candy from the store so we could leave haha. It was good hanging out with the cousins though :)
The next day we went to Binder Park Zoo for their Zoo Boo. We went last year and deemed that it was much better than John Balls. The weather wasn't raining but it wasn't very warm. Even though I made the dino hoodies we still layered up underneath... we went with Kim, Chase and Kim's twin sister Kathy. It was a lot of fun. We even got some candy! :) They rode the train, did the candy trail, saw some animals and did their carnival. Last year we didn't do the carnival games but this year we thought we'd try it and they had a lot of fun. They both tried a pumpkin toss, a duck picking thing and then Dude did a skunk launch. And the first time he did it he got it in! They played on the little playground there for a little bit until we decided that we couldn't feel our hands anymore so we went home and got some dinner.
I was happy that we got a chance to do something for them and it wasn't all about the scary part of Halloween, but the fun part of dressing up and getting free candy! You know the prank that Jimmy Kimmel wants parents to do on their kids and say they ate all their Halloween candy? Well, I told Dude that I had eaten all his candy while he was sleeping and he said, "You would." Eek. haha.
JVG
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