FaceTime’ing with Dad last weekend

My boy is feeling better today. Hooray! He went a couple days last week with a high fever, eating nothing, just nursing. He whimpered and he was extremely snuggly and sensitive. If someone looked the wrong way at him, he cried. Today is better. He’s eating again and he only cried when his buddy Kesler came near him. My boy has a big personal bubble.

Both girls had Friday off from school. Liliana always has Fridays off, but Kaylie had it off for … something. It seems as though she has at least one day a week off. It sure didn’t feel like, when I was a kid, we had as many days off as she has. Usually on days I don’t have to leave the house, we have a pajama day and don’t do much. This past Friday, however, my friend Chris suggested we hang out and since her son Nathanael (Liliana’s four-year-old friend) was coming with her, I let Kaylie have a play date, too. (Is it still called a play date when kids are 10-going-on-11?)

I’m not really a fan of play dates. I mean, having kids over when their parents are also over is fine, but the kids of people I don’t know? School friends and such? Not a fan. I just … I don’t know what it is. I’d just rather avoid them. Because, as Liliana always tells me, I’m a bad parent. But, I’d rather Kaylie have a friend over than have her go to a place where I don’t know the parents (and I don’t like meeting parents)(I HAVE ISSUES, OKAY?).

Chris and I spent the day baking, and you’d think we’d have had a lot to show by the end of the day, but I ate six muffins and the brownies kind of disappeared and the cookies were just really tasty. It’s all gone already, is what I’m saying. It’s a good thing I made that coffee cake yesterday so I’d have something to eat for breakfast today.

Noah suggested that Chris and I have a girls’ night, so we did. Chris’s husband came for dinner and then took their son home, Noah went to hang out with his mom (and subject her to Centre Ice hockey), and the three of us (I let Kaylie stay up) watched Runaway Bride and ate popcorn and chocolate. Oh, and I fell asleep and stayed asleep through most of the movie. Whoops.

Saturday morning was the usual gymnastics/ballet/Tim Hortons (it kills me that there is no apostrophe in Tim Hortons)(related: I have issues) shenanigans and after lunch we headed to my favorite one-year-old boy’s birthday party. I didn’t pay too much attention to the address on the FB invite and just assumed it was at Kesler’s house. Except nobody was there. So I checked the invite, apologized to my family, and typed the address into google maps. I forgot to put in a teeny tiny letter and we ended up at the wrong house. Again. Whoops. So this time I double AND TRIPLE checked that I had the address right and we showed up at the party an hour late. But we were right on time for cake, so I’ll call it a WIN.

Mr. Kesler will have to share the title of favorite one-year-old boy in 16 days (!!!), so we had to celebrate. Kesler downed his birthday cupcake in record time. It was quite awesome to watch. Especially since I didn’t have to clean him up.

Oh, and Saturday was also the first day of the spring run of 7 Days.

I missed the winter run, so I was looking forward to this one. And here’s Sunday’s shot:

Sunday I went for my first run in three weeks. I let my head/neck/shoulder pain take over the last couple weeks, but through the magic of muscle relaxants, I could finally move again. Woot. It always takes me forever to get my butt out the door to go running. I’m a professional staller/procrastinator. And I’m quite lazy. But, when I get back, I’m always glad I went. And then I fall down dead in my couch groove from the overabundance of physical activity.

We have dinner at the in-laws with Taygan every Sunday evening, and since Sue had just gotten back from vacation a couple days before, we had her, Taygan, and Andrew at our place instead, which means that we had people for dinner twice in three days, which is very weird for us hermits. It gave me an excuse to cook, though, which was quite nice because I haven’t been doing much of that lately.

It’s weird how time just disappears. Every time I turn my back, it’s the weekend again (which is not a bad thing) and then it’s Monday and then the end of March and then HOLY CRAP MY BABY IS ALMOST ONE. I’m way behind on blog reading (sorry about that), there are a bazillion shows piled up on our DVR, and there is some shrimp in my fridge that should really be thrown out already. And both Noah and I went to bed at 8:30 last night. Well, he fell asleep on the couch until 2am and I went to bed intending to go to sleep but fell down a Facebook wormhole and then couldn’t sleep until almost midnight. Lame.

Am I caught up now? Oh, right, here’s my Canadian Family post from last Thursday. It’s about thermometers. Alrighty. I think that’s it now.

Happy Monday!

I mentioned that I’d been picking up my Canon a lot more, but this week I’ve hardly touched it.

Thank goodness of Instagram, right? We’ve had some crazy weather here. A week or so ago it snowed and the snow came up to my knees. The last couple days we’ve all gone out without winter coats. Kaylie was even wearing capris and she wasn’t cold. AND IT RAINED! I never thought I’d be so happy to see rain.

My anxiety has been at an all-time high lately. I can’t shake it. It’s like I’m vibrating and I’m seeing stars and I can’t stop my brain from twitching. Last weekend and this weekend Noah has spent with the girls at his parents’ place (they’re away on holidays) to give me a break.

The girls aren’t the source of my anxiety and it’s not their fault, but having them away, and some time to myself (with Preston, who naps and goes to bed at 6pm) really helps. I’m thankful that Noah is in tune to my sucky mental health and helps out so much when I’m struggling. I’m okay during the day, when it’s just me and the boys, but as soon as the girls get home from school it’s like all hell breaks loose and I lose my ability to cope. I’m hoping that it settles down in the next couple weeks as SPRING comes and we’re all able to get outside more often.

It seems as though Preston is learning new things every minute. He’s now walking more than he’s crawling, he can even bend down, pick something up, and get back up and keep going, and this past week he climbed stairs for the first time. We don’t have stairs in our house (well, we do, but not in our part of the house) so he’s never really had the chance to try. But, when we were at the in-laws’ place on Monday, I put him at the bottom of the stairs and he followed Liliana half-way up, and then he stood up and fell backward (into my arms). Next time we’ll try make it all the way up, but I was so surprised he could do it!

The girls wanted to go outside yesterday and when they asked if they could get dirty, I said go right ahead. They got completely covered in mud. For one, I’m quite proud of myself for letting them get dirty, as kids getting dirty usually gives me anxiety, and for another thing – mud! MUD! Unfrozen dirt! Dirt that is not covered in snow! This is a good thing. Spring is coming, or here, depending on who you ask and when they determine spring to start.

Now, with that — that being all my whining, sorry about that — Preston and I are off to get some food to fill our empty fridge. The goldfish just aren’t doing it for me anymore.

Oh, and if you’re interested, here is my latest post at Canadian Family, which is directly linked to spring: The Trail-a-Bike: For Young Riders Who Want to Keep Up

Today is good, though. Noah, Preston, and I are keeping everything down, Noah’s back at work and got some really good news, and the kids and I are enjoying a day at home, with nothing to do and nowhere to be. Noah is taking tomorrow and Friday off, and we’re gonna enjoy some family time for the last two days of the girls’ February Break. With the crappy week we’ve had (heh.), I’m looking forward to some good times.

When I uploaded the photos from Monday, I found some others on my camera that I’d forgotten about. I’m good like that.

I sold this stroller on the weekend, and this was Preston’s last ride in it, about a week earlier. I loved it, but since I’ll soon have two little boys around, I wanted a double. (I got this one.) I think I’ve mentioned before how much I love Chariots.

Noah and the goobers, on the morning of the Super Bowl. Maybe next year, New England Tom Bradies. Maybe next year.

We woke up to hoar frost a little bit ago and I love it so much. It is the thing about winter that makes me the happiest.

The other day I brought up from the basement the rest of the baby toys (I brought up only a few when Preston was a couple months old). Liliana was stoked about all the “new” toys, and I figured with her memory she’d remember playing with them only two years earlier. Apparently not, and she has spend the last little while thinking they are the coolest toys ever.

Liliana is totally impressing us with her reading skills lately. (Thank you, Super Why!) She’s been able to sound things out for quite a while, but she now started spelling things with the blocks. She sounded out “Preston” all on her own and only got one letter wrong. I’d call that a WIN.

We wanted to fit some sort of family-type activity to do on Monday, being that it was Family Day and all, but Preston was still sick in the morning. By early evening he seemed to be doing all right so we packed everyone up and went to the river to go for a walk and test out the new stroller.

Noah thought it would be really funny to get a close-up of me. But, ha! He missed!

The thing about Liliana is that she does not like to be last. Ever. She’ll yell at you to wait for her, and as soon as she catches up, she’ll zoom right past you, cackling away. And if you leave her behind, she will CALL YOU ON IT. So do not ever be even a step ahead of her. Ever. We’re trying to teach her that she doesn’t always have to be first, and there have been a lot of tears when she earns the consequence of being last. It’s hard being four.

Preston was kind of a wreck by the end of the walk. Poor guy was just not feeling all that wonderful.

The good thing about him, though, is that he can always smile, no matter how crappy he’s feeling.

I was awoken at about 5:00 Sunday morning by the sound of my baby boy vomiting in his bed. It’s incredible how quickly I can jump out of bed if I need to. I picked him up, his face covered in white chunky goo. Noah grabbed me a towel and I wiped his face, head, and hands.

Preston spent the rest of the morning vomiting and sleeping on my chest, with bouts of playing. I could tell he didn’t want to let the sickness slow him down, but every once in a while he’d stop playing, look at me, and start to cry. I felt so bad for him.

As I held him with his head on my chest, I rested my cheek on the top of his head and couldn’t believe how big he’s gotten in the last 10 months. I miss when he was a newborn and he’d curl his feet up and be able to fit snug under my chin. Now, he sits on my lap, his legs dangling, and barely fits under my chin. The first year is my very favorite, but it goes by much too fast.

On Saturday, I’d planned to take the kids swimming, as Liliana’d been begging to go, Kaylie loves it, and Preston had never been. My friend Chris messaged me and mentioned that she and her family were talking about going and so we planned to meet at the pool closest to her house. Liliana was stoked, especially because it meant she was going to see her BFF Nathanael.

Kaylie had a blast in the wave pool, Liliana enjoyed dumping buckets of water on unsuspecting little kids, and Preston loved splashing and walking around holding on to the edge. He kept trying to walk away so he could drown himself. I was surprised how long the kids lasted, and nearly two hours later we finally headed for the showers.

It was such a beautiful day that Lindsay and Chris invited us over for a barbeque. In February! It was delicious and it made me long for summer.

I’m thinking that Sunday is a new Wilson Family Sick Day. Two weeks ago, Kaylie was sick and I stayed home with her. Last week, I was sick. This week, it was Preston’s turn. He handled it much better than we girls did, as he was much sicker yet he did not let it stop him from getting into ALL THE THINGS.

He was so off-kilter, though. He was having trouble balancing and whereas the day before he was taking a couple steps, Sunday he wasn’t able to get the balance to take even one.

Monday he was feeling much better. He only vomited early in the morning and right before bed and he only had one disgusting diaper. He was still a little off, and was not eating any solid foods, but he was happy to nurse, which made me less worried about him being dehydrated.

Noah had the day off for Family Day, and I took it as an opportunity to go for a run. I’ve been wanting to get back at it, and I signed up for a 10k to give myself a goal. And then I asked Kami if she wanted to run with me, so that I’d have something (and someone) to push me to meet the goal.

Running made me miss Regina and my running partners there and my Wascana Lake. It was a perfect warm-up-walk distance from our apartment and it was nice to have somewhere to run that didn’t have any stoplights or intersections. I have a short route by my house here that is mostly stop-free, but when my runs get longer, I may have to find somewhere else.

We found that somewhere else later on Monday evening as we went for a walk by the river. Gorgeous. I took my camera along, as it had been way too long since I took any real photos. I haven’t had a chance to edit them yet, though, so they will come soon.

Today is Noah’s turn for the horrid gastroenteritis curse and I really hope it stops at him. On a side note, but quite related, have you seen that cough syrup commercial where the husband is sick and calls to his wife in a pitiful voice, “Pam? Pam? Can you call my mom?” and she throws him the phone? It is my favorite.

Updated to add: And now I’m down, too. Sue came to get the girls, but I kept Preston because he’s still not 100%. The moral of the story is that we need more than one bathroom.

January
Noah took his first (and only) ride in the back of a cop car. I was in the throes of antepartum depression and recovering from a major breakdown in December. I was 2/3 of the way through my pregnancy with Preston. It was bitterly cold here in Saskatchewan.

February
I got paranoid and headed to the hospital to make sure “Three” was still alive. (He was/is.) I longed for my horrid pregnancy nightmares to be over. I chaperoned for the first time Kaylie’s school’s Valentine’s Day dance and cursed a certain song that brought back a certain memory that made me leave the dance in tears. It was bitterly cold here in Saskatchewan.

March
Kaylie and I got over 20 inches cut off our hair. It was bitterly cold here in Saskatchewan. Liliana learned a bit about obstetrics much to Noah’s dismay. My estimated due date came and went.

April
Noah changed a tire for the first time. We had a son! We gained a nephew! Liliana turned four!

May
I turned 28. I had my first gallbladder attack (although at that time they told me it was gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD). Erica and Meg and my parents came to visit and meet Preston. We went pottery painting for the first time. I had my first surgery of the year and had a lot of anxiety about leaving Preston.

June
I wrote a post that made Noah cry. I lost my license for a month. I continued to have gallbladder attacks and was still told that it was just GERD. Preston, Liliana, and I went to Regina with Noah for a work thing. After paying many many dollars to the Saskatchewan government, I got my license back.

July
I took my first ambulance ride, was finally properly diagnosed with gallstones, and was told I’d have to have a cholecystectomy. Kaylie went to camp. I got locked in a parking lot. Cousins from BC came to visit.

We spent the better part of a week at a friend‘s cabin. Tali came to meet Preston. My Opa passed away. Preston, Kaylie, and I made the trip to BC for my Opa’s funeral and I got to see my family. Noah turned 28. Kaylie turned 10.

August
I ate pita chips nearly every day (this month, the month before, and many months after). Kaylie and I started running together. Our van was stolen (and recovered). I dyed my hair black and cut myself bangs. I had my second surgery of the year. We spent a lot of time at the splash park. Kaylie started Grade 5 and Liliana checked out pre-Kindergarten.

September
Liliana officially started pre-Kindergarten. We spent a weekend in Regina and Kaylie ran her second Queen City Marathon Mini 3k Marathon. Preston watched his first football game. The girls started ballet and gymnastics. There were many, many leaves which were great for jumping in.

October
We went to Manitoba for Thanksgiving. Preston turned six months old. The girls started swimming lessons. We dedicated Preston to the Lord in front of our church.

November
My friend Laurie went to be with the Lord. Kaylie, Preston, and I went to Regina for Laurie’s funeral. I wrote a life list. I had my third surgery of the year, finally having my gallbladder removed. I had a total weight loss of 25 lbs during my wait for the aforementioned surgery. Noah and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary, our best yet. Preston had surgery to correct a minor birth defect. I got a paid writing gig. Liliana had a rough week. I got a horrid stomach bug.

December
I kind of participated in a Reverb Broads blogging project. We decorated up a storm. Preston pulled the Christmas tree down on himself. We spent Christmas here in Saskatoon. Preston started crawling. I finally got my bedroom clean. Weather-wise, we had the best, most beautiful Saskatchewan December that I can remember.

You were a good one, 2011. I am excited for what 2012 will bring.

three-kid room fail
We live in a three-bedroom house and I’ve been trying to figure out how to make it work when Preston transitions out of our room. So I had this idea. I’d put all three kids in one room – just their beds – and have the other room as a play room with their toys. They were all for it and Kaylie started sleeping in Liliana’s room (Liliana has a bunk bed in her room, Kaylie a loft bed in hers) to see if it was something she wanted to do long-term. On the second night, she decided she wanted to keep their rooms separate. But she’s still sleeping in Liliana’s room. Both girls hate sleeping alone. Whatever.

So the other day she comes and says to me something about being okay with moving her bed into Liliana’s room. I say something about the other room and she says that she’d like to keep it as her own private room. I asked her, “So you get two bedrooms?” Liliana piped up just then, quite heartbroken, “SO I DON’T GET A BEDROOM?!”

It’s not happening. Funny, though, that the 10-year-old thought she could get away with having 1.5 bedrooms, leaving her sister with half a bedroom while Noah, Preston, and I shared the third one. FUNNY GIRL, THAT KAYLIE. I still don’t know where we’re going to put Preston when (IF!) he (EVER!) starts sleeping through the night. Maybe we’ll keep him in the garage.

holiday time
Noah got home from work last Friday just before noon and does not have to go back to work until next Tuesday. That’s a whole 10.5 days off. It’s been wonderful. I’ve had entire days where I have not had to leave the house. I have not had to drive anybody anywhere. I’ve gotten an entire night’s sleep to myself because Noah took Preston and the two of them slept in the living room. (He offered to do this again, but I have to pump a bottle for Preston to have overnight and I really hate pumping.)(I don’t mind too much getting up in the night with Mr. P, but a whole night’s sleep is pretty fantastic.)

baking bonanza
My friend Melissa and her son Kesler came over a couple days before Christmas and we baked up a storm. We made peanut butter marshmallow bars, peanut butter chocolate bars, Toblerone shortbread cookies, and the Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls.

I’m pretty sure I ate an entire pan of cinnamon rolls that night. And one every day after that.

The girls helped out

and the boys hung out and napped and fought over toys.

I’m pretty sure we have to do that again soon.

baby
A friend of mine had a baby yesterday. Today, Kaylie and I went to visit them.

This little guy was half an ounce smaller than my smallest baby. He is tiny and precious and fits in one arm. I don’t think there’s anything I enjoy more than holding a sleeping newborn baby. I’d have a whole bunch of them if they didn’t go and turn into children so quickly.

and then there was Christmas
We spent this Christmas just like we have every Christmas since we moved to Saskatchewan – with my in-laws. You should feel sorry for them, they just can’t get rid of us, even during the holidays. My parents live two provinces away, and since driving on snowy icy roads is completely out of the question and flying is astronomically expensive, we aren’t likely to spend a Christmas in BC for quite some time.

One of my very favorite things during Christmas is the Christmas Eve service. I can’t remember ever missing one. When I was growing up, we attended a church that also had a Christmas Day service. I’ve really missed that since switching to a different church when I was 15, but with Christmas being on a Sunday this year, I got to attend a Christmas Day service again. I think I’m going to find a church that does it every year because I just really love it. We even sang carols from hymnals. It was very old-school and very perfect.

We let the kids open one gift on Christmas Eve, because growing up my family opened all our presents on Christmas Eve and letting my kids open one keeps that tradition alive. Since Christmas traditions matter more to Noah than they do to me, we mostly go with what he wants to do, which is open presents on Christmas morning.

Something Noah likes doing that I didn’t do growing up is stockings. Noah and I exchanged stockings on Christmas Eve after the kids were in bed, and first thing the next morning, Noah walked down the hall with the girls stockings saying, “Ho ho ho” in a monotone voice, just like his dad did when he was growing up. The girls aren’t allowed out of their beds on Christmas morning until Noah comes with their stockings.

After the present opening on Christmas morning, we headed to the Christmas Day service and then spent the rest of the day at the in-laws’. Noah’s sisters stayed in BC, but friends came for Christmas dinner, filling the house and making it feel more Christmas-y. I grew up around so many aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents that having lots of people around during holidays just feels right. And good. And merry.

I spend the entirety of Boxing Day packing up all the Christmas decorations and rearranging our living room to accommodate our giant new-to-us TV and and new-to-us keyboard. Hand-me-downs are quite wonderful. As is having everything Christmas-y all packed up. Decorations are festive and all, but they’re also cluttery and once Christmas is over, I just want them gone.

my sick-for-just-a-morning snuggly sleeping boy

This week has been full of eating and play dates and Lego-building and cleaning and organizing and shopping and game-playing and movie-watching and just enjoying being together with nowhere to be. I kind of don’t want this week/year/holiday to end.

I didn’t know what year to start with, but I decided to start with 2001. The year Kaylie was born, and she and I became a family.

I cannot find a photo of the two of us around Christmastime in 2002, but I did find this one with my family.

The year 2003 I again could not find a photo of just me and Kaylie, so it’s a big family photo again. This was the last year that all us kids were unmarried.

Christmas 2004 was the first one that Noah and I were together for. I cannot find a photo anywhere of the three of us, I can’t even find one of just me and Kaylie. Apparently I really sucked at getting in photos even back then. So, no photo this year.

Two thousand and five was the year Noah and I got married. Since we had a November wedding, we sent out Christmas cards as thank-you cards and included this shot of the three of us.

In 2006 we did our first Christmas tree hunt. It was a blast and we have really missed that since our move to Saskatchewan. I was about five months pregnant with Liliana.

Liliana was added to our 2007 photo. This was our last Christmas in Terrace.

Oh, our family photo attempt in 2008 did not go so well.

Our Christmas card ended up being a collage with none of the photos holding all four of us. I did get this one of the girls, though, which I really love.

In 2009 things were kind of messy in our house, so there is no family photo to speak of. But, I did find one of my favorite photos of Liliana, and one of Kaylie decorating, both from December of that year. I can’t believe how much the girls have changed in just two years.

We had a little trouble with our 2010 photo. We took photos outside in the fall but I hated all of them. We tried a couple more things and then finally we just set up the tripod and all piled on the couch. I was about five months pregnant with Preston.

And then there were five.

The 2011 photo is, by far, my favorite, for obvious reasons. I was going to send out this photo in our Christmas card, but then Brenda said something on Twitter about designing Christmas cards and I took her up on her offer. She came up with this:

Isn’t it awesome? Most of our Saskatoon friends have already received one of these, but those who require a stamp for me to send them a card will be receiving one in the new year. Because sending out Christmas cards on time is not my thing, apparently.

Also? TWO MORE SLEEPS!

Kaylie and I barely made it home on time, but with 15 minutes to spare, we did make it. She went right to bed, and I got ready for bed and walked into the living room as the clock struck midnight. Noah was there with his egg nog, ready to press play on the first Christmas song of the year. I went to bed, much to his dismay. He’d wanted me to stay up and decorate with him, but midnight was already three hours past my 9pm bedtime and I was exhausted after spending 3.5 hours in the ER with Kaylie.

Over the following days and the weekend, we unpacked all the Christmas boxes and put up most of the decorations. The girls were stoked to decorate their rooms.

The last thing we did was put up the tree. We put up our fake tree, much to Noah’s disgust. We wouldn’t be able to get a real one for another week at least, and he didn’t want to wait that long. The more Christmas for Mr. Christmas the betterer. Noah did most of the other decorating, but left the tree to me and the girls.

Noah’s favorite part is the village. He set it up last year, but likes it better when I do it. I was a grinchy grinch last year, so he did it himself, but this year he said I was in charge of it.

Preston has already rolled/backed himself into the Christmas tree and tried to pull it down on himself.

I’ve been in a bah humbug-type mood about Christmas thus far. Kind of like a what’s the point? about the tree and the decorating and the gifts and the baking. Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birth, so what does Santa Claus have to do with it? I’m bringing you down, aren’t I? Sorry about that, I’ve just been in Liliana mode — questioning everything. I try to keep most of it to myself, as Christmas is Noah’s VERY favorite time of year and I don’t want to ruin it for him.

The lights, though, aren’t they pretty?!

Our first Thanksgiving together, Noah and I were living in Caronport, Saskatchewan. We made the trek out to his Grandma’s house in Manitoba for Thanksgiving, my and Kaylie’s first time to the province. I think I remember us getting lost. I’m pretty sure it was Noah’s fault. (Because this is my blog and he’ll need to get his own blog to defend himself.) Seven years later, we’re spending our third? fourth? Thanksgiving here, enjoying Grandma’s amazing kitchen skills.

To maximize our time here, we left the city on Friday at noon. Noah and Kaylie ditched out early from work and school. (Kaylie was not real stoked about this, seeing as school is her very favorite place to be AND SHE MIGHT MISS GYM.) (Or art.) (And that would be HORRIBLE.) The kids traveled quite well, although Preston got a little grouchy toward the end. He’s not a big fan of car trips. It rained incredibly hard for the majority of the trip, which made passing the bazillion trucks we passed quite scary. Apparently I’ve been away from BC so long that I’ve forgotten how to drive both in the rain and on a two-way highway.

Grandma had an amazing spread when we arrived — she had even prepared (fat-free gallstone-friendly) food that I could eat. We never ever go hungry when we are here.

Lexi (a cousin the same age as Kaylie) was waiting here when we arrived, as a surprise for Kaylie. They were inseparable for the next 48 hours, until we dragged Kaylie home from their place Sunday morning to get ready for church. I didn’t even have a chance to get a photo of them together, we saw them so little.

Oh, wait, I lied. I got a blurry one of the three girls.

Liliana was lonely when the older girls took off to Lexi’s house, so we took a little walk to the park. I have to say, I’m quite a big fan of small-town Manitoba. It’s so peaceful and quiet and I feel safe enough to let Kaylie walk a couple blocks with a friend. In the city, I hardly let her walk down the street by herself. (Although, to be fair, little girls Kaylie’s age and younger are … propositioned … by men driving by.) (I’m dead serious.)

Liliana found another little girl at the park and invited the girl to play with her. My kids are so shy.

When the little girl left, Liliana played happily by herself, climbing and sliding, climbing and sliding. I love that she has the ability (and imagination) to play — quite contently — by herself.

We didn’t do as much walking as I would have liked, but it was quite windy. I’ll never get enough of the prairie sky, though.

We headed to a field after church Sunday morning to take a couple photos and Kaylie hadn’t brought her sweater. I let her wear mine until we got there. I’d left my phone in the pocket, not really thinking much of it. A couple hours after we got home, I was looking for it and was instantly filled with dread when it was not where I’d left it. Noah and the girls were at the park and Preston was napping, so I sent a couple tweets to Noah, since they go to his phone like text messages, and he and the girls retraced our earlier steps and found my phone in a ditch. PHEW.

I set up Find my iPhone on both our phones immediately.

I’m thinking about ordering all five of us matching track suits. What do you think?

Noah and Preston watched sports while Grandma cooked up a delicious turkey dinner. I was wondering how I was going to get through a turkey dinner without gravy (there was gravy, I just couldnt have it), but I did and it was still delicious. I’ve developed a fondness for turnips. I’d never had turnips until I had thanksgiving dinner with the inlaws before they were the inlaws (before I’d even met Noah) and I liked them instantly. Now, they’re a favorite.

After dinner, Preston hung out with Aunt Liz

and Liliana snuggled up to Uncle Bob.

She was so tired, she sat there almost completely still, besides when she was asking Uncle Bob why he didn’t ride his horse to Grandma’s house and where was his horse and could she ride it? When Uncle Bob left, he told the girls they could go riding this morning. But, we woke up to rain this morning and the ride was canceled. I’m sure they’ll get other opportunities.

Now, I’m off to attempt to beat Grandma and Noah in a game of Scrabble, a not-easy feat I’ve achieved twice this weekend. Wish me luck. Oh, and Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving!

6:30am wake-up call
Feed Preston
Wake Noah
Make muffins
Have shower
Drive Noah to work
Go back home
Get kids ready for the day
Feed Preston
Drive Kaylie to school
Sign Kaylie up for gymnastics
Drop Noah’s phone off with him
Go back home
Try twice to print forms I need
Fail twice
Feed Preston
Pick up Noah for meeting
Drop younger kids with inlaws
Go to meeting
Pick up younger kids
Drop Noah back off at work
Get gas
Pick Kaylie up from school
Feed Preston
Get a couple groceries
Pick up Noah
Get McD’s drive-thru
Go home for 1/2 hour
Feed Preston
Pick up Kaylie’s friend
Drop Noah, Kaylie, and K’s friend at the church for kids’ club
Sign Liliana up for ballet
HAVE LILIANA YELL AND SCREAM AT ME BECAUSE I WON’T LET HER RUN INTO THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE MILE-LONG BALLET SIGN-UP LINE AND WHY CAN’T SHE DANCE AND WHY ARE WE JUST SIGNING HER UP BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO DANCE NOW AND WHY WON’T I LET HER PLAY WITH HER FRIEND BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO RUN AND DANCE AND RUN INTO PEOPLE AND I WON’T LET HER DO ANYTHING AND ALL THIS WHILE THE LADY WITH NO TEETH IS TRYING TO TELL ME ABOUT HER TWO-WEEK VACATION SHE IS ABOUT TO GO ON UP NORTH IN AN FOUR-SEATER AIRPLANE AND DID I KNOW THAT HER DAUGHTER HAS NEVER BEEN ON AN AIRPLANE BEFORE AND THAT HER DAUGHTER WAS GOING TO MISS THE FIRST BALLET CLASS AND LILIANA IS STILL SCREAMING AND YELLING AND ALL WITH THE SCREAMING AND YELLING MAKE IT STOP!
Feed Preston
Pick up the trifecta of church people
Drop Kaylie’s friend off
Stop at Safeway to get saline
Go home
Get the kids a bedtime snack
Feed Preston
9:15pm all the kids go to bed
11:00pm my brain finally starts to unwind from the day

Fall, you hit hard and fast, don’t you?