Because She Can

Sierra has laid claim to a large stuffed bear that used to be mind. This particular bear came outfitted in a sweater, toque, and scarf. Many mornings when I go to get her Sierra is wearing the toque and scarf.

"Weeee!"

Sierra has discovered slides this spring. It began with a little one that was given to us. Then her Granny and Papa introduced her to the ones at the park one evening and opened up a whole new world to her.
Since our weather has finally gotten warm Trevor and I took her to the park yesterday to experience the joy of "wees", as Sierra calls them, ourselves. It was so much fun to watch her. Playgrounds to two-year-olds are like amusement parks to adults!

We started small with the yellow one in the background and worked our way up.
I'm impressed my butt fit on the blue one!

The spiral slide was actually rather slow and it's allure didn't last long.

The tunnel slide was by far the favourite!

A Loosing Battle.

I know this is totally normal with an-almost-two year old but the fact that I can't keep on top of anything these days is going to send me to the looney bin. I wipe up one spill and three more appear. I sweep the floor umpteen times a day and it constantly looks like I don't own a broom or vacuum cleaner. I tidy up the clutter and put things in their proper places. Immediately after, Sierra decides to empty all the shoes out of her drawer and disperse them in every room of the house - or something like that happens.
It never ends; it's a loosing battle most days.
This afternoon I just wanted to sit on the couch and cry.
I didn't. I dug down and got to work.
I made supper. Cleaned the kitchen. Vacuumed again. Washed the floors. Set my oven on self-clean (I've never had that before so I'm a bit skeptical). The last of the laundry should be dry and just needs to be put away. It helped immensely that Sierra played well by herself and then was later entertained by Trevor.
Now I'm taking some time to myself and I feel better. As soon as Sierra goes to bed we are going to watch the season and series finale of Prison Break.
I'm sure by tomorrow morning my house will somehow manage to be a mess again but for now it's clean.

Crazy???

Trevor and I went to a movie last night. We rarely go because of the astronomical price of admission these days but we received a bunch of gift certificates for Christmas and they must be used! It is also our 11th anniversary today so we were celebrating that with a night out while Sierra was at her grandparent's house having a blast.
As we were sitting in the theater waiting for the movie to begin Trevor and I noticed two little kids also in the theater. One was maybe a year and a half and the other 4 or so and they were with their mother and grandmother.
We paused our conversation, looked at each other and raised an eyebrow.
Why would logical people bring little kids to a late showing of a movie meant for adults? (The movie we saw was the new Star Trek by the way, absolutely fabulous!) Yes, it was a weekend but I believe most toddlers are in bed well before midnight when the show would be over - or is it just our toddler and the kids of people we know? Besides, they couldn't possible understand the movie in the least bit - or do they have genius children? How about disturbing fellow patrons - most kids don't have the patience to sit for 2 1/2 hours (unless they fall asleep or are sedated) so will likely be talking and moving and have to be brought out once or twice. Finally, what a complete waste of money - maybe they were rich but still!
Wouldn't hiring a babysitter be a better, more relaxing use of the same money?

Then...
when I went to the bathroom right before showtime I noticed not one, not two, but four babies of various ages!
Were we the most cautious homebody parents ever after Sierra was born or are are these people a little crazy? I mean, yeah, babies sleep a lot and could quite likely be fine but with a baby you would have to count on the possibility of leaving theater at some point. Again I say, not worth the cost of movies these days to risk missing some of it.
Parents do what parents do. I learned right away after Sierra was born that everyone has their own way, and I respect that. I'm sorry, this is one thing that does not make a lick o' sense to me.

One More Thing Done

Weather update: no more snow. The wind is still blowing but only a little....where I live wind is just something we seem to constantly endure to some degree. Last week, the blasted(get it? "blasted" I am so hilarious) wind was blowing so hard that it moved our BBQ a few feet! Now it's raining with promise of a gorgeous weekend. Edited later: the sun is out and the sky is blue with no wind!

In other news: Our kitchen is completed! Trevor worked hard this past weekend and on Monday, and the back splash is up and grouted and it looks great. Now all we need is a few accessories to dress it up and I am done! Dressing it up will probably take me another year, I absolutely suck at finding decorating bits. I refuse to pay $80 for a vase and to scrounge around in thrift stores for unique items takes time. Theoretically I would love to be able to do that but I can't seem to find/make/take that time. Last fall I saw these great red canisters at Pier 1 Imports that I knew my kitchen needed. They were, of course, pricey but I figured they would go on sale or they could be a Christmas gift for someone to buy me. The store only ever got one set and they never went on sale. I was sad. Now I hunt for red canisters because my limited mind can only think that for an adornment on my counters.


As for the top of the cupboards - a large vase or urn or something? Maybe a cluster of wine bottles? Some more greenery on the raised sections? What do you think?



Our next project is the fireplace.



See the lovely white drywall gap? That is 100% a result of us not having our act together. The fireplace was put in late and a hole was left. The mudders and tapers came and went and we still had our hole. The painter came and went and we still had our hole. Finally the hole was patched but too late for mudding and taping or painting.
"Oh we'll just put tile over it or something."
Easier said than done. Trevor is wondering how the heck to cut rock to fit that curve, notwith a straight blade. Ordinary tile saws don't cut curves.
And finding tile we like?
I don't want to talk about it.
If only we'd taken the five minutes to fill that hole sooner. Then there would not be a big white drywall patch above my fireplace!

Keeping Busy

There's nothing like a lovely spring snow fall to buoy the spirits.
Yeah, right!
I think everyone around here was grumpy with a capital G. We'd experienced some lovely weather prior to the white stuff and we were all starting to go for walks, plan yards, and think of summer vacations....and then a 25 degree drop in temperature and days of snow.

Trevor and I promptly, yet begrudgingly, took advantage of the lousy weather and did some indoor activities. I engaged in some retail therapy with my mom one Saturday. I used some left-over Christmas money (don't ask how I managed not to spend it until now) and purchased some fun new shirts for spring/summer. I love shopping and buying new things but it also frustrates me soooo much. They simply do not make clothes for women with short torsos and curves. Skirts are pretty much a hopeless cause because they nearly always come to the exact wrong spot on me and I look even shorter than I already am, and frumpy and stumpy. Not a pretty sight! I quite like skirts. I don't sew so making my own isn't an option, so this is sad reality for me. If I actually bought and wore many of the skirts available in stores I'd be whisked away to "What Not to Wear" in a flash. Hmmm, there's an idea, those people get $5000 do spend on high clothes in New York. I'll have to think about that! Shirts are about 50/50. The necklines often plunge rather low on me but that is easily made appropriate with a camisole or tank top underneath. Anyway, after trying on the entire store I did manage to find a few great buys.

Trevor and I finally chose some tile for a backsplash in our kitchen so he's been working on that. Pictures to follow upon completion. Unfortunately it means our kitchen is in disarray and I can't stand my kitchen not being neat and tidy. It makes me twitchy. Breathe Carla, breathe, it's only temporary.
I stained our front door this past weekend and if I say so myself, it look s a million times better. Of course that only makes sense because it was meant to be stained.

Before...



...after. (It was a trick to get a decent photo with the lighting)

Now the weather is nice again, albeit windier than windy. With warmer temperatures our focus once again shifts outside. As I am typing the bobcat guy is busy filling in our yard with top soil and grading it. We're starting to envision grass and flower beds and a garden. Then again, a dirt yard is nice and all- and rather easy- so I am wondering if grass really is the way to go - just kidding! I am quite ready for some grass, especially because Sierra thinks being outside is the greatest thing. We hope for some in a few weeks. I confess that the size of the yard is what appealed to us when we bought the lot but now I'm rather daunted. It is enormous and I don't like yard work.
Bad combination, I realize. I keep telling myself, "It'll be great for the kid(s)."
We do plan on keeping it fairly simple for now with plans of being able to evolve it as time goes on. Our needs will change and it's always possible that I'll decide I love yard work more than anything and go for a more exotic look.
Not likely
Maybe I'll win the lottery and get rich and I can hire a gardener.
Now I'm getting away on myself, time to sign off.
Later!