2013 Weekend to End Womens Cancers

O.M.F.G!!!WHAT A WEEKEND!!

We had a VERY rainy Saturday! We kept hoping that it would stop but it never did. Unlike last years rainy Saturday, it wasn't torrential and it wasn't as cold. AND we were going to end up INSIDE at the Rogers centre where we new it was dry and warm!

Arriving at Camp was very cool - as we entered they announced our names and team and we were ON THE JUMBOTRON!!!! woohoo!!!! We found our tent, changed our shoes and went thru Blue Jays dugout into the Argos dressing room to have a 15min Massage ... It was truely a goose-bumpy afternoon!!

We had a couple of groovy blue tents to change in and use as a meeting place ... after that we found a comfy table and had a few post walk, celebratory beverages then tucked into a wonderful dinner followed by Johnny Reid and Burton Cummings (separately). A couple more drinks then off to bed - at the Renaisance Hotel (because thats how the Super Boobie Fairies roll!).

Sunday was beautiful and sunny and perfect. Oh, and hilly! VERY VERY hilly. We had a nice breakfast then trotted off to see the sights. (Unfortunately RAIN impedes ones ability to fully enjoy the neighbourhoods we walk thru...)I had the pleaseure of catching up with a couple of friends along the route. My team and I also had a lovely mid afternoon beverage at the Sunnyside Pavillion (and St Louis Bar and Grill).

We finished at the Rogers Centre and it was ... WOW! We entered down the ramp they load/unload the concert trucks on and entered at turf level. They stopped us by team and explained that they would announce our names and team name then we would enter and we would appear on the Jumbo Tron AGAIN!!!! After that we got our finishing shirts and proceeded to Closing Ceremonies! It was wonderful!!

Thank you to everyone who supported me thru your donations, your love, your company, your encouraging words and texts last weekend!

Thank you to my team: The Super Boobie Fairies. You guys are AWESOME! You guys were too much fun last weekend!

Thank you to all the Crew who supported us along the way and at camp. Julie, Greg, Steve - we LOVE you guys!! JULIE, as usual, you have gone above and beyond! xoxox

Thanky you to Edwin, Chad and Brian for coming ALL the way up to the Great White North - you guys do a great job!!! Edwin, unfortunately i didnt get to see nearly enough of you which means that the WORLD wont get to see nearly enough of The Super Boobie Fairies ... *sadface*

Thank you to Princess Margaret Cancer Centre for choosing this event. Thank you also for working so hard to make these huge advances to care for OUR FAMILY, FRIENDS and NEIGHBOURS.

We are all signed up for next year ... if you're free the second weekend in September, please join us! or make a donation thru this link!

http://www.endcancer.ca/site/TR/Events/Toronto2014?px=1756825&pg=personal&fr_id=1481

And Thank you for your continued support - I couldn't do it without you!!

we need a new bathroom ... RFN!!!!

this morning i had to listen to my 3 eldest fight for our one (yes, i did not make a typo - ONE) bathroom!! my three eldest being my husband, my 14 yr old and my 13 yr old .... happy happy and i kept yelling at them to SHUT IT but, sigh, they couldnt hear us ... my morning sucked! i think tonight i will sneak out and sleep in the garage ...

The Great Flood

Hope you all survived the big storm/flood yesterday! We were without power for about 9 hours and approx 80-90% of Mississauga joined us in the dark! BUT have no fear, DH rigged out the generator and we had electricity and tv down by the pool; Buddah and Ella swam and played, my GF brought her girls by ... we got the outdoor fireplace going and cooked weinies and marshmallows ... we survived!!

We watched CP24 for hours and caught all the news updates including the rescue of this train - eventually!

And now for your, belated, weather update!

so, Mother Nature, we have come to a pretty conclusive decision... we want SUMMER!!! all the Sun and Fun you can muster, please!

xoxod

This HEAT!!!

holy HANNAH!! HappyHappy and i spent last 4 days in an air-conditioned hotel and at hockey rinks (last spring league hockey tourney - woohoo!!!) ... got home last night and started melting!!! I am ok during the day with the heat but i was up all night ... it literally makes me nauseaus!! (omg, am i entering that TIME in my life?!?!?!?!!?)

someone bring me an Air Conditioner!!!!

Politics ... ugh!!!

So we are finished 11 years at our local public school and we will miss it - the staff are wonderfull!! It has really changed alot since we started there. Unfortunately the politics continue - and are probably WORSE - at the middle school. SMARTLY, (after some very good advice from a friend) I decided a few yrs ago to NOT be involved anymore with the kids schools. The politics are vicious!!! I have other things in my life that are fun and positive and deserve my time!

(PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE know that it is NOT the staff who don't value my time or input but the PARENTS who are involved in things like School Council, Home and School Assoc, Parents Assoc, Committees, etc. and in our area, the schools, sadly, have really lost control to these groups.)

This past fall HappyHappy asked me to be involved with her Grade 5 Grad ... so i sucked it up (after all, if its important to her, its imporant to me!) and signed up for the committee. Thank you to all those woman who think they rule the world! The first meeting proved to be interesting for sure! and then that was it ... NO MORE COMMUNICATION ... apparently, i didnt make "the cut"... never heard another thing about mtgs, organisation, NOTHING ... until the schedule was sent home with permission forms, etc about 2-3 weeks before the event! It was a done deal, signed, sealed, delivered to Grade 5 Families.

Parent Politics at its finest!

Remember though, you didnt just bully me out of the way, you hurt MY KID!

And THIS is why Principals and Administration need to be incharge of all school events/activities! You want to "rule the school"? put your kid in Private School!

Just My Humble Opinion!!

Where does the TIME go?????

OHMYGOD!!! Where does the time go? Did you know were are 6 months - YES! SIX MONTHS away from Christmas!! People you better get shopping! LOL!!!

Seriously, we are also at the end of June which means ...the END OF SCHOOL!! I cannot believe it!

My eldest finished grade nine, and as you can imagine, I am sooooo glad to see the end of THAT! But she did it! She wrote all her exams and is getting ready for summer school ... yes, summer school! It was her choice, she is taking a grade 10 course as she wants to fit something else into her time table next year ... YEAH!!! this means she is starting to plan ahead and think of her future which is all I can ask for! Way to go DLU!!! I am SOOO SOO SO proud!

Buddah finished grade 7 ... I so wished he was changing schools next year but he has one more year in our local middle school (which isnt actually a middle school but a K-8 school our kids move too after grade 5). I am trying to be positive; we have a new principal so hopfully things can only get better (although I have called for an interview and haven't gotten a response back BUT I assume thats because things are so crazy in June!)... My hope for him is to find a place where he feels good about himself and comfortable and can really fit in. I was looking at Athletic Schools for both him and Happy Happy (she moves to his school next September) but the cost is way too much for our budget to bear ... Anyway, looking forward to a fun summer of fising and swimming and stuff ... then HOCKEY!!

Happy Happy is finished grade 5 and so "graduates" to middle school; the grad last Thursday was cute and they partied after at the ORC pool then ... WENT HOME TO STUDY FOR A MATH TEST THE NEXT MORNING ... Nice One, Mrs Math Teacher! And now its off to Middle School next fall (i guess as long as she passes her MATH TEST!!)

No more Teachers, no more books!!!!!....

Happy Mothers Day!!!

oh oh, another mental health day ... and my heart sings

so we have had a rough few months, namely with DLU. i haven't talked much about this because it is serious and makes no sense in my life ... i have been trying to work thru it ... anyway, its a long story and i am only going to give you the bones of it (if you know me, you already know the whole story as i dont usually hold things back ...)

just before christmas my daughter got in some trouble at school - nothing serious but her punishment was having her electronics taken away; upon receiving her phone i found some pictures and info that lead to even more serious concerns . she was grounded until we could determine that her decision making skills were improving. things were ok until just after semester 2 started then the shit hit the fan and DLU ran away for 4 days ... it was awful! the police were involved, our family and friends were involved; they were all amazing ... when she was apprehended she was taken to emerg and assesed and released back to us.

the week following was rough and i am thankful for our family and friends for their unending support and to my boss and friend Hope for a few necessary mental health days ...

the past few months have been very difficult - lots of talking and crying and crying and talking ... it took 7 weeks for the children's mental health unit to see us (YES, 7 weeks!)... anyway we have been working thru some things with the help of lots of friends and family and our wonderful peadiatrician ...

in the past few weeks things have really gotten alot better! DLU has really opened up and been more engaging and things are looking up. she seems more like her old self xoxo



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so, as you know, we are a HOCKEY family. its tryout season! CRAZY CRAZY shit goes on! anyway DLU said awhile back she was going to quit and not play next year. ok. (well not really but, ok)

well what are you going to do then, young lady?

so we have been discussing options and alternatives (in my house you DO something outside of school - becoming a vegetable is not an option!) so last week - ONE WEEK BEFORE TRYOUTS - she decides that she IS going to tryout for hockey after all .. YAY, right? well, yes, except that when your kids' plays rep, you kind of start looking at coaches and teams and options a couple months before tryouts ... you also have coaches come out to look at your kid before the end of season (maybe, just maybe you can wrap everything up early, get a committment and then coast thru the end of season knowing where you are going next year without entering CARZYLAND...)

anyway HappyHappy and Buddah were a sealed deal before tryout season arrived and i am SOOOO happy to tell you that DLU is also nicely settled into a new team for next year! she went to tryouts for 2 different teams in our club and last night she got an offer for the team that was our first choice! GOOD WORK DARLING!!!!! by the time we got thru the 90 min skate and the waiting and the offer and the PAPERWORK and the celebratory McD's after, it was 12:30 am!!

so today was our MENTAL HEALTH day! it was the best mental health day i've had so far this year! my heart sings!!!



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A Note From My Local Music Rental Place ... and My Response

So the copy of the email below is what i received from the company we rent our sons TUBA from ...

{ yes, my kid plays the TUBA. Apparently he was the most gifted of children to pass the TUBA TEST in 6th grade (oh, YES! there is a TUBA test ... sigh)... our middle school REQUIRES that we rent an instrument in the 7th and 8th grade so all students can participate in the music program ... AND this past year our teachers have been on a job action which prevents things like band, choir, and music night ... its a bit of a doble edged sword, i am afraid ... ANYHOOOOO ...}

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Hello from XYZ Music,

It seems like the start of the school year was only yesterday but there are now only a couple of months to go and summer is coming up fast. We sincerely hope that David is doing well in music with the Baritone Saxophone you have on rent from us.

We're writing today to let you know that rental extension season is almost here and soon you will recieve a letter from XYZ Music outling your options to extend or buy out your current rental contract. In the meantime we'd like to present a special EARLY BIRD purchase offer. This great opportunity is available ONLINE ONLY. If you've been thinking about purchasing your rental instrument, the time to do it is now! Not only will you get the benefit of your accumulated discount from rental payments but for the FIRST TIME EVER we're going to discount the price of the instrument by a further 20%. Never before have we offered such BIG SAVINGS on contract buyouts.

To take advantage of this special offer, plese visit our online rental manager at http://XXXXX and follow the instructions.
note: if you haven't previously registered at cosmomusic.ca, you will need your 'Cosmo Customer Number' (which is DCO005)

Best wishes for the rest of the school year and please keep an eye out for your extension letter which will arrive in your mailbox later this month.


Thank you.
The XYZ Music Rental Team

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And my response...
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Dear XYZ Music

Over the past 3 years we have spent a small fortune renting musical instruments from you. This is a huge cost imposed on us by our school and not by our own choosing.

With this years current teachers' job action, we have actually NOT been able to see our child preform at all.

We currently do not have a son named David and he doesn't play the baritone sax. And I am sure his account # password of DCO005 would be better off disclosed to his actual parents.

I am going to suggest that you might want to go in and change the passwords to all your clients accounts forthwith as it would appear you have possibly disclosed hundreds of passwords to the wrong clients. And I would also suggest a conversation w the employee responsible for this (rather large) slip up.

DCA

Thankfully, Hockey Parents Can Put a Few Pints Back ...

so this past weekend we were in Ottawa for Provincials ... HappyHappy's hockey team made it to provincials so off we went last Wednesday!

it also happened to be my birthday.

well, we had a great time!! the girl's played some of the best hockey of their whole year and (thankfully) the hockey parents and coaches can put a few pints back!!!

i got to catch up with a few old friends also which was wonderful! the girls and i and a few other parents even got in a great walk in the SunShine yesterday!

i think the best part of the whole weekend tho was when HappyHappy's team sang HB to me after their 3rd game in the dressing room ... what a great group of girls! thanx! xoxoxox

what year is this again?????

ok, so i received a request from a dear friend to vote for her 10yr old daughter's hockey team to win a training day with our local NHL team... so i do; i go online i click the link and i vote! i am THAT good of a friend! LoL!! well there are 7 pages of teams hoping to get enough votes to win ... i am curious to see if any of my kids teams were entered (they were not) ... then i notice there is another girls team from our town in there ... hmmm, do i know anyone?? i click the link and this is an exerpt of the intro by the FEMALE coach:

"... Soon, for an upcoming event, they will have a chance to reach out to other girls 5-10 and encourage them to come try out this sport that connects them so beautifully. As women they will one day be running things at home, keeping their house in order, which is a solo thing, whereas, this team sport gets them off to a young start at accomplishing something together. It will be a very sweet sight to see these girls demonstrating their desire for other girls like them to have this wonderful experience too..."

WTF??? "...As women they will one day be running things at home, keeping their house in order, which is a solo thing..." HUH??? so we are prepping them to be a lonely housewife? are we simply giving them something to while away the days until they meet a nice boy and settle down and manage a house and pop out babies? are we not teaching them to have partnerships with their spouses?

now, don't get your knickers all twisted, i am a stay at home mum but before i did that i worked for many years for the local school board. i went to university ... i paid my rent; i bought my groceries, i owned a car, i paid insurnace; i even travelled ... after i met my husband i worked for a few more years and once baby #2 came along, we decided it would be better for me to be at home.

i want my girls to get an education; travel the world; settle into a satisfying career; if husbands/partners and babies come along AWESOME! if they then choose to stay home - GREAT! if the decide to work fulltime - GREAT!

i want them to know that they can be lawyers or dancers or doctors or bankers ... musicians or teachers or accountants or engineers ... entrepreuneurs or fashion designers ... dentists or city clerks.

i want my girls to use their years in hockey to build relationships, to prepare them for being part of a team at home, at school, in the workforce ... WHERE EVER!!! i want them to use it as a lifelong tool for chamaradery and friendship; for activity and fitness; i DON'T want it to ba a stop-gap!

why doesn't this COACH want the same things for her daughter and her daughters friends? why is she holding them back?

WHAT YEAR IS THIS AGAIN???

ahhh, i KNOW! its been a looonnnggg while ...

i am sorry ... we have had some pretty f'ed up times at our house lately ... i know that some of you know whats been going on but i just haven't felt like writing ... i am going to skip the last 2 months and jump back into life here! i promise to write a bit about our drama but not now ... the last few months have been sad and sadness doesn't motivate me ...

xoxod

i got my SCRAP on!!!

My scrappy girls and I went to Younique Country Retreat last weekend!!! OMG! It was awesome! The food is FABULOUS and Heather and her crew could not have ben better hosts!

Younique is just outside of Guelph ... not to hard to find at all (we only got lost once!lol! but that was probably cause Cher and i were too busy chatting to pay attention to the instructions!!)

Heather has a full Crop room on the main floor with lots of natural light and a separate entrance. Each cropper has a full table and the use of a Cricut machine (1 machine for every 2 croppers!!!!! I KNOW, right!!!!).Each table has a ight, and a magnetic mat and tool bin with basics in it!

Downstairs there is a full stocked store with TONS of awesome product and her prices are FABULOUS!!!!! She has cardstock and patterned paper and embellishments and tools and adhesive and tools and EVERYTHING!!!

The accomodations are wonderful - each guset has a basket on their bed with towels and slippers and a robe and toileteries. The food is out of this world and Chef Jeff did a wonderful job of accomodating all our needs!

After all my drama of Chrsitmas and Teenager, this was a welcome weekend away! I worked on my Disney album (yes we went 3 YEARS ago - so i'm a bit behind! lol!!!) Its not finished by any stretch of the imagination, but I got a GREAT start and I dont have much left to do ... titles and journalling an about 8 pages of pictures to finish!

Here are some pages:

my teenager is trying to kill me ....

its true!! i have a 14yr old and she is working hard at being a teenager!! OY!!!

she had gotten into wee bit of trouble at school and that lead to her phone getting taken away ... and THAT lead to me finding out about a WHOLE BUNCH of other trouble she had gotten into ... OY!!

SOOOoo... now she is offline and under house arrest ... its like having an infant all over again; she has NO priviledges like staying home alone or going out with friends (she IS allowed to have friends in but she's stubborn and hasn't yet - you're loss, kiddo!)...she's constantly with me - all sullen and cranky ... fun times

remember, peeps, there is a reason why some animals eat their young! i have started carrying a picture of her when she was a baby to avoid this

call me if you have extra wine ... or tequila