Helping Hands

Ever feel like your assistant is more of a hindrance and an aid. Here are some of the helping hands around our house.

Alex helping Mike install a baby gate.

Hannah investigating the dish washer.

The camera was missing while the boys were helping me bake yesterday. Now there's a job they can actually help with.

Memories of the '80s

In an attempt to get me blogging more often, I've decided that once a week I'll post a fond or funny childhood memory.  The first one is from 1983 when we were living in Fall River, Nova Scotia.  I'm not sure what brought this memory back to me, but I was thinking about it this morning as I drove home from Lethbridge.  My best friend in Fall River was a boy named Michael Fiander.  He came over to play one day, and for some reason there were a bunch of styrofoam pieces around the house.  We, of course, used them as swords and beat each other with them mercilessly.  It made a horrible mess, and when Dad discovered it, he told me that if it wasn't cleaned up by suppertime, I was getting a spanking.  Not just any old spanking, either.  It would be a BARE-BUM spanking!

Suppertime rolled around, and I hadn't touched the tiny bits of styrofoam scattered around the basement.  I ate supper quickly, and left the table as soon as I was done.  I ran to my room and hid under the bed.  I was under there for quite some time.  I didn't fall asleep, but I waited around with the patience of a child fearing his father's hard hand.  After a while, the family wondered where I was.  I listened to my mother and sisters looking for me around the house, and eventually going outside and calling for me.  I refused to leave my hiding place.  Eventually, someone thought to look under the bed, where they assumed I had fallen asleep.  I let everyone believe that I had been napping rather than hiding.  Everyone seemed so relieved to see me that the promised spanking was forgotten, and I was given a treat.

So, kids, if you're ever in trouble, disappear for a while so that everyone will miss you too much to be mad at you.

A Week of Thanksgiving

I'd like to recount the things I'm thankful for from this past week. We've had a rough year and looking back there isn't much to be overly thankful for, but If I look at a small enough period of time there is much to be thankful for.

Mike lets me sleep in, or rather go back to sleep, most morning after waking up with the baby twice a night. He also lets me escape the house alone at least once a week and cooks supper at least every other day.


Kenny picks me flowers. The only kind he can find.


Alex has an annoying dependence on chocolate milk, but he is so cute about it. He asks for "chocat milk" at least 10 times a day and is always grateful once he receives it.


I love my boys.


I also love my girl.


Hannah is such a happy baby. She may keep me up at night and demand to be held half the day, but she always has a smile for me. She's pulling herself around now in an attempt to crawl and she sat for the first time unaided on Saturday.

I love my house. My sister has lent me hours of entertainment and is always there to talk when I need her. Mom and Dad are always willing to watch my kids if I need them to.

Thank you all.

ABCs

Okay, first of all, this is Mike writing.  Secondly, I'm doing this at Mum's request.  Hope you find it interesting.

A - Age: 32 (Mum - 30 = my age)

B - Bed size: Queen

C - Chore you hate: Washing dishes

D - Dogs names: I had a dog for three weeks when I was 16, and I don't think the family ever really decided on a name before Dad gave him away.

E - Essential start your day item: Pants

F - Favorite colour: Blue and black

G - Gold or Silver: Gold, I guess.

H - Height: 5' 7 3/4"

I - Instruments you play: Guitar and bass guitar.  Poorly.

J - Job title: Senior Representative

K - Kids: Two boys and one girl

L - Living arrangements: Four bedroom duplex.

M - Mother's Name: Millicent Patricia (Pat)

N - Nicknames: Moike is the most prominent.

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Dehydration (three times) in the Philippines.

P - Pet Peeve: Southern Alberta drivers.

Q - Quote from a movie: "Of course I'm mad with power. Have you ever tried going mad without power? It's boring. Nobody listens to you."

R - Right or left handed: Right

S - Siblings: one older brother, three older sisters, and two younger sisters.

T - Time you wake up: Between 6:30 and 9:00, depending on the kids.

U - Underwear: Mormony

V - Vegetable you dislike: Peas

W - What makes you run late: Kids

X - X-rays you've had: Teeth, wrists, head, chest, abdomen, heel.

Y - Yummy food you make: My cookies are legendary.  I also make a pretty mean black forest cake, and I'm quite fond of my simplified pepper steak.

Z - Zoo animal: Tiger

Six Months

Big week in the MacKenzie house. Kenny has finally reached 40 lbs. and has since been begging for a new booster seat. He dislikes the fact that his car seat converts into one.


Alex and Hannah have both celebrated their half birthdays. I'm half way through those terrible twos again, yay!

Alex's language skills are coming along. He's a parrot most days. Unlike most two-year-olds "no" is not his favorite word. He says neither "no" nor "yes" instead he growls "don't want to" or smiles and gets all excited. He is a rough and tumble kid who can't help getting hurt every five minutes.


Hannah received the glorious gift of a needle for her half birthday and boy was she excited. She cried for maybe 30 seconds before stealing the toy from the health nurse and becoming her cheerful self once more. She weighed in at 16 lbs. 6 oz., a size which Kenny obtained by the four month mark. She is a sassy little thing who spends her time pulling herself across rooms after balls, exercising in her jolly jumper, and testing gravity from her high chair.