Time to make a wish...

Today, I celebrate another year in my 30s!

I have to say the number doesn't so much bother me as the new growth of grey hair I seem to be discovering more and more as I investigate in the mirror, but besides that I don't have a complaint in the world today.

I spent the weekend with the three loves of my life... and enjoyed every minute of it as we celebrated my big day. Since my birthday falls on a Monday this year, PC moved the celebration to preceding Saturday and planned out a little family fun day! It was perfect for me!

He made breakfast for all of us and then we hit E's skating lesson before heading off to the Children's Museum in Ottawa! What a great place! I have always wanted to go with the boys, but PC usually rolls his eyes at me when I suggest 'a museum' as an activity.  However, this year, he really had me pegged and planned out a little adventure to the Canadian Museum of Civilization, which houses Ottawa's Children's museum. The whole outing definitely did not disappoint! We spent a couple hours exploring all the fun areas - the boys absolutely loved interacting with each stop on their passport. We capped off our visit by taking in a 3D IMAX movie! I wasn't sure how H would handle a movie, but he did awesome! We ended the night off with Mom C's famous homemade donairs, a few little birthday surprises including a new MK bag, and my ultimate fave cupcakes from The Flour Shoppe.

I don't think I could have scripted a better day to celebrate if I tried.  Thank you to my one and only for such a fun day with the boys - he definitely made me smile and feel very loved and spoiled.

If my birthday celebration was any indication of how this year may unfold for me, I am looking forward to it!

Here is a little photo recap of the day's events.

Thanks for all of the birthday wishes via of Twitter, Facebook, What's App, email, and texting! I even had a few ol' fashioned phone calls too from some old friends! All around fun.

Thanks again!

 

Lucky Number Seven!

Hard to imagine that seven years ago, PC and I were only starting out on a journey that has already provided us with so much.  As we celebrate seven years of marriage today, I am just in awe of everything we have accomplished together - and its ONLY been seven years.

I get excited at this time every year because its like playing Monopoly and going past GO... only instead of collecting $200, we are collecting another year of 'happily ever after'.We might purchase somethings along the way, or sell-off a few others, but were buying and selling together, and as along as we're avoiding going to jail - I'd say were doing okay!

This past year has been about achieving a balance.  With two busy boys in our lives, we rarely find time to for the two of us but I think the point is that we still enjoy those outings when we do get to be together as just a couple - sans kids.  Our boys have provided us with so many laughs this past year... and its made us both see that raising a family, although tough at times, can be equally rewarding and then some.

PC, still the keeper of many titles: friend, lover, and partner for life! Thank you for putting up with my crap, and your welcome for putting up with yours!

I love you.
Happy Anniversary.

First time for everything!

Today a very special man in my life celebrates his birthday! That's right... PC is prepping to blow out a small bonfire worth of candles this evening, and while that is a big deal, I think what is an even bigger deal is that for the first time in the ten years I have known him, he is working on his birthday.

Can you believe it?

Is the sky falling?

Hell has clearly frozen over.

PC prides himself in taking a day off on his birthday... and he usually golfs or does something that makes him happy, but this year, work has prevailed and he's up and at it with the rest of the working world today.  However, not to panic people... he's taken Friday off instead, not quite the same as his actually b-day, but a close second!

We are celebrating his big day with his family this evening at our house... and looking forward to Mom C's famous donairs - a birthday tradition in the Coleman household, and oh so yummy!

Happy birthday to my number one (and only) husband, lifelong friend, and rodeo partner! We have our ups and downs, as many couples do, but through thick and thin, I know I love you with all my heart... and you and our boys are truly the best part of life!

Have a great day birthday boy - you seem to enjoy life everyday, but I hope today is extra special!

5 down, a lifetime to go!

It's hard to imagine that 5 short years ago, I was preparing myself to walk down the aisle, to meet PC at the alter, to exchange our vows, seal them with a kiss, and start a new chapter together - creating a lifetime of memories.

We are 5 years in today... and I wouldn't change a thing. Honestly... I remember when PC proposed to me and I really thought I was the luckiest person in the world. Now... I still feel unbelievably lucky... we have created a family and are about to expand it a little further, but when I look at E, and my growing belly, I see what 5 years of happiness between the two of us has created.

Life might not be all sunshine and lollipops all the time, but I have to admit that looking back on the past five years there has been a lot of sunshine in our lives, and a heck of a lot of lollipops. I don't know if we are like the average married couple or not - what I can tell you is that we are different people, but together, we are better people. We keep each other honest and sincere, we support each other, and most of all - at the end of the day, even if PC didn't pick up his dishes, or I didn't properly seal the freezer door - we still love each other, no matter what.

I am excited for the next years of our marriage, I know there will be challenges and many sleepless nights ahead, but I think what makes it so exciting is knowing I have a partner in crime to get through it all. PC really brings out the best in me... I admire and respect him, and as we celebrate 5 years today, I want to thank him for always being by my side no matter what and for being a great Dad to E and a loving husband to me too!

Love you PC!
Thanks for a great 5 years... looking forward to many more!

The one about the vase!

Isn't just wonderful when your husband buys you flowers and surprises you with them? I love love LOVE getting fresh flowers, but I can actually count on one hand the number of times PC has done this for me... he reserves flowers for MAJOR f%&$ ups I guess - and apparently, according to PC's flower buying record, he hasn't done anything wrong in quite sometime!

The other morning, we had a knock at our door, and it was one of our neighbours. He was wanting to know if he could borrow a vase. I like this neighbour, and I had no problem lending him one. Apparently he had bought his wife a beautiful bouquet of flowers for their anniversary and didn't have anything to put them in.

I opened our 'useless' cupboard and grabbed an IKEA vase that I have had for a long time. He looked at it and said 'this will work... but, do you have anything bigger?'

I knew that I did have a bigger vase, I remember getting it as a wedding gift... so I said to him 'I know I do, but give me 10 minutes as I will have to look for it'.

I smirked at PC and said to our neighbour... 'you can tell how often I get flowers around here!'

So... off I went looking for the big vase. I headed downstairs to the basement and after checking a couple of hiding spaces, I did find it on the top shelf of the closet, in its original box.

It turns out the vase we were given as a wedding gift was crystal... and I thought to myself 'wow, this is nice', but didn't think twice about not lending it to our neighbour.

I brought it upstairs and set it at the door, and along came PC. He opened up the box and said 'This is crystal? Wow. Your going to lend them the crystal?' in a shocking tone.

Quick to reply, I said 'it's not like it's getting any use around here! What is the worst that can happen, they break it, and I have a broken crystal vase and still no flowers to put in it - oh no!'

There was an eye roll on PC's part, but that was the end of the conversation, as clearly he nothing fire back with!

1 - 0 SC.

I quite enjoyed this conversation... although I think PC would have preferred our neighbour knocked on a different door that morning!

Overheard at the kitchen table!

The following is a conversation, that, in the best interest of a husband's sex life, should not occur...!

Out of nowhere....

PC: So... I know you got your hair done yesterday, but what exactly did they do?
Me: *silence* + *look of death*

PC: I mean I know its lighter, but it doesn't look like it use to look when you use to get it done.
Me: Thanks - I know.

PC: *back peddling* It looks good, it just looks different than usual.
Me: Umm-hmmmm.

So I'm married to 'Captain Obvious', lucky for me!

Seriously... PC does not think through some things before he opens his mouth (which is not anything new to me!). It's one thing if I bring up the subject ... 'does my hair look like good or does it look like I didn't really get much done?' But I am sure in the book '10,001 things a husband should not say or do EVER' ... this conversation has to be in there.

Oh men... will they ever learn?

Do I mumble or is he hard of hearing...?

At our house... PC and I have this on-going battle about whether I mumble when I talk or he is just plain hard of hearing.

Now... since this is my blog and not PC's... you know how this one is gonna go, but I am sure in PC's world, on PC's non-existent blog, you know who would win in his version.

I don't remember this so-called battle being evident back when we first got together, after all... the annoying habits never come to light until the young love phase wears off, but ... for a few years now we have been going back and forth on the issue.

The evidence I have stacking up against PC goes like this:

• Whenever I talk... whether we are at the dinner table, down the hallway, or in the next room... he shouts 'WHAT?' as if he is an old man who is... (wait for it)... hard of hearing!
• If he stays up late watching TV, and I get up early and turn on the TV, its on at least 10 notches above what I consider an acceptable volume for the hearing elite.
• When he talks on the phone... he talks louder (than me), like someone *might* do when they think the other person can't hear them or perhaps, they can't hear themselves.
  
• I hear him saying 'WHAT?' to other people he talks with... not just me.

In his defense (and you know it will be a weak one)... he's got this on me:

• Whenever I talk... whether we are at the dinner table, down the hallway, or in the next room... he shouts 'WHAT?' as if he is listening to a woman who mumbles.
• And...
  

Clearly... he's got to be hard of hearing!

Its funny, because now that we have E in the family... I laugh as we use him to communicate to one another.

Earlier in the evening, I was downstairs surfing the net, when I let out an 'oh', as I discovered something online. PC says to me... 'what?' - not the hard of hearing WHAT?, the 'I clearly heard you... what did you say oh for' what?

It was really an internal oh that accidentally escaped... so I said 'I found a yoga class for the .... nevermind' (as it was unimportant and I knew he could care less about yoga).

Then he gave me the hard of hearing WHAT? To which E gives a grunt, and PC says to him: I didn't hear what she said either... she's mumbling again!

I will go as far as to admit that I do mumble... when what I am saying is not of importance, but when I want an answer... I make sure I speak up, and clearly make my statement, which leads me to believe that I mumble far less, than PC is hard of hearing.

Tonight for example... I yelled down to the basement to him:

Me: Is that dish loose on the roof? (because the winds were gusting at about 90kms/h)
PC: WHAT? (hard of hearing WHAT)

Me: The dish? Is it loose on the roof?
PC: WHAT. (double hard of hearing WHAT)

Me: The di... forget it (mumbling by now).

PC: Silence.

Now... you can't tell me, I was mumbling in the beginning of that exchange, I was yelling it, and yet NOTHING.

The only other conclusion I've come to is, if by some miracle PC's hearing is perfectly fine... then its gotta boil down to multi-tasking, which he will admit, he does not do. If when I am talking (not mumbling) he is watching Sports Centre or something else that he thinks is even one tenth more interesting than what I might be saying... he tunes out, and his go-to response is the hard of hearing WHAT?, which he doesn't want to admit to, so he chalks it up to me mumbling, therefore he is not in the wrong - typical male!

I have a feeling... we'll still be going at this one in 50 years, which by that time, he will definitely be hard of hearing, and I will most likely be mumbling about him being hard of hearing for 50 years!

Oh the joys of marriage!

What fun little back n' forth battles do you have with your significant other... ? Any that you would like to share?

2008 A Year in Review

I did this last year... and I thought it worked well, so I am going to do it again (and probably every year).

It's the titles of a few posts from each month of the year.... that quickly sum up 2008 in a nutshell! If you only joined me half way through the year, this may be a good way to catch up on what you missed, and if you have been a faithful reader all along... this is just a quick refresher of what we've been through via this blog, during the past year.

So ... here we go, a quick look at 2008...:

January
-2008, The Year of Getting What I Want
-Mamma Mia
-Update from Sunny Punta Cana (Toubi & Vicki's Wedding)

February
-Rascal Flatts Concert
-Ba-hum-bug!(rant on Christmas lights)
-Déjà 20 ans! (Elizabeth Manley wins Olympic silver)

March
-The Big Storm
-T.O isn't such a bad place after all (trip to see good friends)
-It was a good Friday indeed! (Carrie Underwood concert)
-A picture is worth a thousand words! (Baby Coleman is on the way)

April
-Throwing Caution to the Wind (our decision to start a family)
-Random Grocery Store Sighting (spotted by one of my readers!)
-Baby Belly # 1 (first belly pic)
-Second Look at Baby Coleman (ultrasound #2)
-Grandparents are a gift! (remembering my grandparents)

May
-Prenatal Classes
-Baby Belly Update
-Back from the Big Apple (our trip to NYC)

June
-A trip to Yankee Stadium
-Snapshots from Halifax
-A new addition to the family (our new Escape)
-Here's a tip (find out the sex of the baby!)

July
-Belly Update #3
-And the rings come off!
-PC's Big 3-0 Party!
-Baby Coleman @ 30 weeks
-A letter to my first born
-King-Nelles Wedding, Evolution of Dance

August
-Nesting
-I thought breastfeeding was the cheaper option

September
-Belly Update 36 weeks
-Not working... weird (maternity leave begins)
-Presenting Baby Coleman's Bedroom Suite
-The last child free anniversary (PC & I celebrate our 3rd Ann.)
-Overdue: Day 1

October
-Our New Baby Boy!
-My Labour Story
-Happy Halloween (E's first)

November
-Things I have learned in a month (E is 1 month old)
-Phantom Crying
-Easy my ass!

December
-Household appliance meltdown
-2 months and counting
-Malls, strangers, and shopping with a baby!
-Christmas Traditions
-Merry Christmas

Well... there you have it! 2008 here and gone. It was an exciting year... there have been lots of highs this year ... a trip down south, finding out PC and I were having a baby, our trip to New York City, pregnancy in general but none as exciting as the arrival of my baby boy, and and being a new Mom... nothing will compare to 2008 for these reasons, but I am looking forward to 2009 and everything it has to offer!

Cheers to '09!

PC's Big 3-0 Party!

Well... PC's 30th birthday party has been here and gone - and if I had to sum it up in my own words, I would say it was a HIT! Everything went fairly smoothly! Friday night I was a little skeptical of the weather as it was down pouring in half hour shifts.... but Saturday the skies cleared (although the humidity didn't) and it turned out to be a very sunny and hot day for the party.

My 130-O girls came from near and far to help me get the party ready... outdoor games, and food, and just some general party decorating.. so by 2:30 pm I would say we were ready to host a party!

PC was clued into the fact that we were having a 30th party for him, but I would say the surprises started when the guest slowly trickled in after 3... as he wasn't expecting to see a lot of them! He had a huge smile on his face the whole night, and that was sweet satisfaction for me!

My biggest contribution to the party, would have been my Yukaflux concoction - which is also referred to as Ditch Juice or in PC's words 'Porch Crawler'. It's just a mix of alcohol and fruit... basically you can empty your liquor cabinet... rum, vodka, gin, wine, you name it, throw it in a large (clean) Rubbermaid storage tub... then add some sprite, gingerale, frozen concentrates, and then slice up 100-150 piece of fruit and dump it in the tub.... you let it sit over night, and then just before serving the next day you add 8 cans of beer, a 2L of 7UP, and a bag of ice and you are good to go! This is sure to get the party going - apparently for every piece of fruit you eat, its like taking a shot of straight alcohol - but the best part is that you don't taste the alcohol!

I have always wanted to make this (as I can remember it being a few parties during my high school career), but never had a good excuse to... I was a little disappointed that I couldn't even try it, but it was a big success at the party, so I will be sure to make it again when I can fully participate in the festivities.

I barely saw PC the entire day, he was chatting and drinking with a new crowd of people every time I turned around, but that is exactly what I wanted... I had him make a Washer Toss game and we had Spin It Ball going on and those two games seemed to get people having a good time too.

We had a little BBQ fiasco, which I won't elaborate on, except to say that I should have checked references on my first volunteer to be the BBQ Master - let's just say that within no time, 12 hamburger patties looked like street hockey pucks, and I won't even comment on what the juicy jumbo hot dogs looked like, but we ended up disposing of the first round of BBQ food, along with the first BBQ Master, and the replacement got control of the situation nicely! All in good fun, but I was killing myself laughing for about an hour over the whole episode.

After the food was taken care of and everyone ate, we did cake and then lit a fire in the back yard, finally using the lovely fire pit we got for our wedding.

The day couldn't have gone better... the crowd slowly thinned out by midnight (we were 43 adults and 11 kids)... except for our neighbours who didn't have to drive anywhere ... they kept the party going until 3 am... we closed with some famous neighbourhood nachos (Ginette's)... and by 3:30 amam PC and I were in bed... both exhausted but for different reasons - he had been drinking since noon that day, and I had been on my feet all day!

The 130-O girls (and Kel) stayed the night, they were my fabulous clean up crew the next morning, which was MUCH appreciated - PC opened some gifts that people had brought (and he loved them!), we went for breakfast, the girls and Kel got on their way, and PC and I had the laziest day ever, napping and watching movies!

I have to say, I don't have many pics from the day on our camera because PC and I were both busy ... but there were a few, so I will post them now and if others send me theirs I will update the blog with them when I can.

Here's a few though....

The Big 3-0 has finally arrived!

No... not for me, I am still a young pup in my twenties, but today, is PC's 30th birthday... 30, three-O... old!

Okay... so now that I have offended a good portion of my readers... I take back the 30 being old joke!! It's not old, but it is quite a feat - I mean 30 years of existence, it reminds of that country song 'Strawberry Wine' when she says 'I remember... when 30 was old' - so true!!

I find this birthday, 30, so humorous for PC and I... mostly due to the fact that when I first met PC, I put him in the 30 range... and it turns out he was only the tender age of 24 at the time. Now, finally, 6 years later 30 has come and its seems somewhat milestone-ish for both of us!

Tomorrow I am having a 30th BBQ for him.... it should be a good time - the weather is suppose to be sunny with clouds, so I am hoping to be out in the backyard, with some ice cold beverages, and some backyard games to celebrate with some friends! So stay tuned for photos.. and a party breakdown next week, after the party is over, and the mess is cleaned up.

Not that PC reads this... but I should cover my basis by saying:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABE...

I HOPE YOUR THIRTIES ARE GOOD TO YOU...

I LOVE YOU!

Finally... a basement update!

Well... you've been patiently awaiting this update, I know. I got email upon email, asking for a visual of the basement. You've left enough hints and comments that I am starting to feel bad... so let's get started!

I believe we left off somewhere around here....

We were still living in a lot of drywall dust, but the idea of a finished basement wasn't too far off.

Drywall was being mudded... and I was patiently awaiting for the okay to paint the place. So... without further ado.... here is how the paint turned out, before the carpet:

Then, the following week we got the carpet put down.... it felt so great on the feet, and it was nice not to have to put shoes on to go down to the basement anymore. My bare feet were loving the new addition.

Slowly we started moving down the furniture from our living room upstairs. We are still awaiting to put in the doors, the trim, and the ceiling, but its starting to feel more homey with each little addition. I will have to get my decorating cap on soon, and add the final touches, but for now this is where we are at...

PC has really done an amazing job on everything -- given that he's put 90% of his free time into this project since May 24 -- many hours on his own, down there sweating and cursing to himself, I can't possibly say enough about his efforts! Thanks PC!

I haven't had time to take photos of our new upstairs furniture, but hope to get those done soon! I hope this update will satisfy you for a while -- but I will try to be more vigilant in my picture posting in the future!

The 730 mark!

Today marks the 730th day that PC and I have been married.... most people like to keep track in years, but when we are only at 2 years, it sounds much more milestone-ish when you convert it over to days, don't ya think?

I shouldn't be saying 'only' 2 years... 2 years is pretty exciting! We are clearly not newlyweds anymore... but yet were not that 'old married couple' either. I guess we're still in the 'young and in love' stage, and still pretty content with each other (most days)!

In 2 years we have a lot to be proud of... we're still sleeping the same bed, still talking daily, still annoying one other to no end, and still playing stupid jokes that only the other person would think is funny, or not soooo funny!

On this day, as corny as it may sound, I am thankful that at the end of day we have each other to come home... which is truly a great feeling!

PC... if by an chance you stumble on this, and happen to read this far...

HAPPY 730th/2nd ANNIVERSARY

Turning over a new leaf

(CAUTION: Mom and Dad, do not choke when you read this... )

I am not sure what has gotten into me lately, but I have somehow managed to get my ass out of bed every morning for the past two weeks at 6 am.... in time to make lunches, brew coffee, and put dishes away or fold some laundry.

I know... little old me, known mostly for my accuracy of being late, grumpy, and down right ugly every morning of the year, but somehow... I've managed to turn over a new leaf and actually become responsible and productive 5 mornings of the week.

It seems, since my week of vacation at the cottage, I have been motivated to do something with my life in the mornings. PC is reaping all the benefits too... he basically doesn't have to lift a finger and his lunch and breakfast are starring him right in the face at 6:15 am.

I am surprised at how beneficial making and taking breakfasts and lunches are. I haven't been tracking it dollar for dollar, but I am convinced that between PC and I we are saving at least $40 a week. I don't buy anything from the cafeteria, unless it's a tea in the afternoon, and I am definitely not purchasing any binge snacks either.

And this may come as a shocker to everyone, but I haven't been stopping at Tim Horton's anymore. I've been early enough on my commute that I have time to stop if I wanted to, but I have no need to as I already have my home-brewed Timmy's in hand when I drive past my favourite morning establishment (trust me, it's hard not to go in just for my standard 2 Timbits... but I am surviving, so far!).

I am also finding that by eating breakfast, and the snacks I have packed for the day, I am less hungry at the those peak periods in the day, like 11 am, and 3 pm, when I normally will seek out some empty calories, from whomever is within the closest mile to me!

The other things that getting up early has also established for me is a brain single to take something out of the freezer for dinner. This is also become cost effective, because instead of loading up the freezer with meat that we never un-thaw, I am actually using it before it get freezer brunt (and trust me, I am very stringent about what constitutes as freezer brunt!).

Yes... this getting up early is definitely paying off for me (and PC too, although he likes to class my new routine as standard wifely duties - but that's a whole other post!). I am not sure how long I can keep up the 'new' me, as I am somewhat convinced that it's just an act - a short-term change in daily activities, and only a short-term change.... but one nevers knows. I at one point said that I didn't know how people got addicted to coffee, and look at me now... throwing punches if I don't get mine coffee first thing in the morning!

We are preparing to go on vacation Saturday, so I will get all of next week off from the 6 am schedule, but, if all goes well, this vacation should motivate me to continue with my early rising practices... and who knows, perhaps (perhaps being the key word here) perhaps make the changes permanent!

What's your prediction, do you think I can keep it up?

The Big 2-9!

Today, PC turns the big 2-9. Twenty-nine... wow, I find this really hard to believe... because when I first met him, he was only 24 (just a baby), but upon our first encounter, I thought for sure he was 30, if not older (I even speculated that he might be married with children, although this minor detail did not deter my efforts to reel him in... I digress!).

I wonder if PC knows how crucial the age of 29 really is... in my books, it's the age of the referral.

You know... it's the age that people over 35 refer to, when asked how old they are. From here on in, people at 40, 50, 60, etc. joke that they are only 29 when asked their age. You know... they say '29', with that smirk on their face, and then follow it up with the reaction like 'who me, don't I look 29?'

When I was young(er), I always thought that 30 was such a milestone age.... but the closer PC and I get to it, the less milestone-ish (if that's a word) I think it is (although, I don't like to let PC think that, since he's endanger of being the big 3-0 waaaaaaaaaaaaay before me)!

In January, I will be turning 28... TWENTY-freakin-EIGHT. When my Mom was this age, she already had 2 kids, and had been legally putting up with my Dad for nearly 6 years! Me on the other hand, I am just starting out in this big world... no where near motherhood, nor any major marriage milestones - and yet this doesn't really bother me.

I find it very interesting the change in life priorities over the years. The baby boomers were all set-up and off to the races at 29... having 2 to 5 kids per family, a mortgage, and working hard to get to Freedom 55. Now days... at 29, people aren't necessarily married, kids are sometimes in the mix, but not necessary because of marriage, and careers are at the forefront, mainly because most of us have spent our early 20's getting a decent education. It's all about getting a good paying job, before worrying about anything else, and manageable debt is what my generation lives and breathes. Today at age 29, the real world is just beginning for many people- whether or not this is a good thing will not be determined until our kids are 29, but for now, we have to roll with it, because it's our reality.

I've gotten a bit off the mark here... but all this to say, that today, PC is 29 ... and although he may not know it, he has reached the age of referral.... the age upon no return... he has this year to enjoy the truth of actually being 29, because after this, the majority of his age statements will probably be lies!!

Happy Birthday babe... I hope 29 is good to you!

Thursday Night Update

Well... that quiet feeling didn't last too long. A bomb did drop itself on my desk, and I spent yesterday and today repairing the damage. Good times, good times.

Tonight, Grey's Anatomy season finale... I am geared up and ready for it.

Tomorrow... I have some emotional business to take care of at work, and then I will be heading off to the sunny city of Barrie, Ontario to visit my dear friend Jamie Ozerkevich (King). I am rather excited for the weekend. Its been soooooooooooo long since her and I have had a good visit, so I know a whole weekend of uninterrupted conversation will be just what the doctor ordered.

I am making the trip to Barrie alone, as PC has decided to dive into the basement project full speed ahead. He wanted to stay home and start it this weekend, and I didn't argue. The only way an argument will start is if I arrive home Monday to find out that it was sooooooooooo sunny out all weekend, he couldn't resist a few rounds of golf in between the hard labour - this is sooooooo something PC would try and pull!

Time will tell... and don't worry, if the basement isn't started by the time I get back, you will be the first to know.

**Editor's Note: I should add, if all goes well this weekend, I will be extremely grateful that PC is dedicating his entire long weekend to the basement project. I can't wait to share some photos with you, as construction progresses over the summer.

Happy Long Weekend!

Better Sleep Month

According to a news bulletin earlier this week, it appears that May is Better Sleep Month - halle-freakin-lujah.

I will toast to that.... as I could use a whole lot of better/more sleep.

A month or so ago PC came home from the chiropractor (before I started seeing him) with a pillow, a Swedish massage pillow, that cost 140 bones (yes, I said: one hundred and forty dollars). I almost fell off my chair. This pillow wasn't a so-called deal (although PC claims it was cheaper from the chiro than Shopper's Drugmart), however, apparently it is suppose to help support the neck and back during sleep, which would result in less stress to the spine, causing a more deep, comfortable sleep.

I will admit I was skeptical. Earlier in the year, I had mentioned to PC that we needed to get better pillows, but I wasn't expecting to have take out a loan - and return home with only one pillow. PC was the first to use the pillow... and we learned that the reason the pillow was such a solution to our stiff neck problems, was because it would not allow you to sleep on your stomach. This took some getting use to, and I don't think PC really did adjust to the side/back sleeping.

We shared the pillow for two weeks. I got Monday, Wednesday, Friday, etc. and he took the other days. I found it worth while, but wasn't prepared to take out a second mortgage on the house just to buy another suped-up Sweeeeeeeeeeeeedish pillow.

On a rare outing together to Costco... PC came across a similar pillow, with the memory foam in it, for the low price of $30. I shook my head when we saw the pillow, as we could have had 6 of the Costco specials for the price of one Swedish one. However, we did agree that it looked like a good 'deal', so we bought it for the other person to use on the odd days.

Let's recap - that's now $170 we've spent on pillows - at least one of us better be sleeping like a Ba.by.

I had my own neck issues recently (as you may recall my pinched nerve story). Apparently the chiro tells me that its from sleeping on my stomach for many years. He said using the Swedish pillow full time would definitely solve a lot of my problems. Turns out the grand-daddy pillow is too thick for PC and he likes the Costco one better... so the expensive one is all mine.

I have been using it straight for about 10 days, and I don't have one complaint, my sleep patterns are solid, and there is no stress in the neck either. Its heaven waking up in the morning without being stiff and wanting die with the first stretch of the day.

However... what I found disturbing after visiting the Web site for Better Sleep Council Canada is that only 1 percent of couples are both stomach/front sleepers. PC and I make up that one percent of the country - WEIRD - very weird.

The Better Sleep Council also has some good info on their Web site about sleep positions, tips for better sleeping, and for the real investigators, there's a whole section of the science of sleeping. Its worth checking out, afterall, who can't afford to sleep better? And who knows, maybe it won't take the $140 Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeedish pillow to solve all your sleep problems!

Home Project #492: Finishing the basement

So... its on.

PC and I have started the heated arguments discussions about refinishing our basement. At times, its been unpleasant, but I think we are starting to arrive at some common ground... finally.

Pretty much since we bought the house, this has been a topic of discussion. Mostly, it was me discussing it, while PC would stare passionately at whatever hockey/baseball/football game was on the television, but lately the conversation has become more engaging on both sides, such to the fact that my so-called dreams are now being scaled back to realistic plans.

The one thing I loved about the house when we bought it was the fact that the basement was unfinished - a blank slate - free to do whatever. we. wanted. - however, PC and I have different visions of what 'whatever' encompasses.

PC is of the opinion that the basement project, although it will be a lot of work, is pretty straight forward. Slap up some walls, do the electrical, plumbing, flooring, ceiling, sanding, painting... and VOILA, we are ready to move. in. the. furniture.

I, however, have my own dream for the basement. One that includes a kick-ass laundry room, built-in wall shelving units, a wine cellar, luxurious home office, state of the art theatre system, maybe a wet bar... everything this side of Hollywood, except the sign itself.

I know, I know. In projects of this size, you have to be practical, and PC has delivered on his end of the bargain. He really doesn't want anything too exciting, and for once, this is a problem (yes, its true, you can never please a woman).

The number one motivating factor in getting the basement done is actually to provide PC with an office. He's been working from home in third world conditions for over a year now, and I worry about the long term effects of bad lighting, poor air quality, etc. However, he seems to be managing, but I would hate for this to go on forever.

So... now, with the proper funds in place, we are ready to make it happen. We have already signed up to have the historic 130-O couches picked up with next week's garbage... and we are starting to clear out the other shit into the garage to make way for the delivery of building materials. BUT, while PC just wants to start, I want to take the time to make some actual floor plans and figure out what things will be like before we put in the first nail. (This so makes me my father's daughter - Mr. I won't put the car in the drive until I know exactly where I am going on the map - it was so frustrating to me as a kid, but the point being, he never did get lost!).

We did visit our neighbours last night as they finished their basement not too long ago, and I really fell in love with their layout. It basically had everything we I want, and it was actually nice to visualize the end result, as opposed to just imagining where the walls would be, and what it would look like after all the hard labour ahead of us PC.

I am starting to see that perhaps I don't need everything I was originally dreaming of... so this is a good thing, but I am still gunning for the kick-ass laundry room!

To be continued....

Open Window Season

It's here... finally, my favourite time of the year.... open window season.

Since Friday it's been hot hot hot, not mildly nice, H.O.T. - I love it... because most of all I can shut the heat off and open the windows as wide as they go. I love having the warm breeze blowing through the house... it just puts me in such a good mood. If PC were here we would not doubt have the AC on, but I am taking this weekend to enjoy the warm weather, without AC!

This weekend, PC is playing hockey in Low, QC... while the rest of the neighbourhood is working outside to set up their patios, get their yards in order, etc. I spent the majority of yesterday scrubbing floors, and cleaning the house (while taking many breaks on the back deck in the hot sun). I managed to make a quite TO DO list for things I want need done around the house. The good thing is that I know PC can do them all, its just getting him back to the house and handcuffing to workbench that will become instrumental in making sure the list gets completed!

I will keep you posted!
Enjoy the rest of the nice weather!

Short Weekend Recap

This will be short as I am tired... but I am slowly recovering from a looooooooooooooooong, yet entertaining weekend.

PC and I curled in a fun mixed spiel this weekend... and of course, it was a great time. As many of you may know PC is not a curler (although I must say his shot making was pretty impressive this weekend), however seeing as this spiel was sponsored by Mr. Keith, as in Alexander Keith... it didn't take much persuasion on my part to get him interested. To make a long story short, there was free beer Friday evening (all evening long), and by the end of the night PC had become a real estate agent, ripped a good pair of jeans, cut his leg wide open, and bruised his hand. Needless to say he doesn't remember a thing, and the details are little sketchy for me as well, but we concluded our conversation late last night by saying we had a good weekend, and we are leaving it at that (even thought I believe it would have been cheaper to buy all of our beer that night than to replace PC's wardrobe and pay the medical bills the next day)!

This morning, we bolted up at what we thought was 9:00 AM to get ready to take Grandma Coleman out for brunch for her birthday. However... our satellite alarm clock radio had a mind of its own, and although Daylight Savings Time kicked in three weeks ago, our clock decided to spring itself ahead another hour last night, making it 8:00 AM instead of 9:00 AM, losing another hour of sleep in my lifespan (I believe the DST patch was never applied to our clock!). PC made a few phone calls at 9:00 AM wondering why some people were annoyed... only to discover it was really 8:00 AM. Oooooooooooooops! It was a great start to the day as you can imagine (and it was a coincidence that it was APRIL FOOLS today... right?), however, at least we were ahead of schedule for once in our lives!

In other news, I just spent an hour on the couch watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition and sobbing on and off over the story of a family I don't even know. I now have a headache and I am exhausted beyond the point of repair. These reality shows don't usually get to me, but the Extreme Home Makeover one takes reality to a whole new level. You just feel so helpless for these parents and their children, but its so great that Ty and the gang at ABC can really change their lives. I love it and hate it all in the same breathe.

Its pouring rain outside right now, and its fitting for my mood - time to call it a weekend.

FIGHT!

Since I'm back in the capital... I was able to get the fight I caught on video on You Tube!

Here is the footage from December 29th... Soo Greyhounds vs. Sarina Sting!
Enjoy!

PC is no.49 in the jailbird suit!