A little story about a dad, a barbeque, and potentially pyro children

The night before we left Salmon Arm we had a barbeque. My dad had a meeting so Hugh was manning the barby while the kids played on the deck. Now maybe it's because it was the first barbeque of the season. Or perhaps it's because it was an unfamiliar barbeque. Or then again maybe it was the distraction of watching the kids that Hugh hadn't seen for 2 months so he just couldn't take his eyes off them. Yes I'm pretty sure that's why the ribs went up in flames.

Now I don't just mean those little flares that result in those delightful little crispy/carcinogenic bits. (I say cancer-causing, Hugh says flavour.) This was a fire that leapt up into the atmosphere and actually made that "whooshing" sound like when you pour gas on wooden pallets and drop a match. Hugh manfully battled the blaze while the kids stared transfixed. They had know idea their dad was also a fire-fighting hero.

Once the fire was nothing more than smouldering embers Tristan dared to break the awe-inspired silence with an excited, "More fire daddy!"

And Ava piped up, "Good idea!"

well, well, well, what have we here?

Well I'm back.

I'm back home in Medicine Hat. My husband is done school and I'm almost done my first trimester. I have been shamefully absent from the blogosphere in the last 2 months and I'd like to apologize to all 8 of my readers. I'm sure you've been desolate without me but things can always get worse can't they? And we musn't feel sorry for ourselves must we?

You've probably given up on even checking my blog by now to see if I've written anything new but now that I'm back and sane (sort of) and less nauseous (marginally) my goal is to get back into blogging and catch up on all your blogs. I hope you've been blogging about some interesting things.

TAGGED...little known facts about me

I was tagged by my friend Michelle but I'm pretty brain dead these days. Let's see if I can think of anything...

1. Well this is not exactly new info for most of you but the middle 2 toes on my left foot were melted together by a motorcycle wheel when I was just over a year old.

2. I am not ticklish but I used to pretend to be so Hugh would tickle my feet.

3. If I could afford it I would get the new kind of Lipo for my "twin skin".

4. I love Raffi and not just for my kids sake. I listen to it sometimes on my own. Baby Beluga anyone?

5. I dream about living in Paris for a year. I LOVE Paris which I know is so cliche but I really love it. Pastry (which I could eat for every meal), red wine, art, history, baguettes, vintage shopping, and little markets. What's not to love?

Well, I managed to get something out. Let's see what DJ has to say.

excuses, excuses

Okay so I wrote a post about how I was in such a blogging funk because I'm so tired all the time but I didn't get around to posting it. See normally I blog while the kids nap in the afternoon but since Hugh has been gone I've been so tired from this single parenting thing that I've gone back to napping when they nap. By 7:00pm I'm so fried I cannot even speak coherently nevermind organize my thoughts enough to write something witty or halfway intelligent. That's a good reason for not blogging lately right?

How about another. I'm pregnant.

Seriously. I'm not kidding. This is not just another excuse. I'm P.R.E.G.N.A.N.T. Which I suppose would also explain the overwhelming tiredness and lack of ability to think straight.

I found out on Friday. I did the pee on a stick test in the bathroom at the airport in Kelowna with my sister Jane. I mean really what better way to say good-bye to someone that you have spent almost every day with over the last year but who won't be in Medicine Hat when we get back because she's going to Italy forever and ever, plus or minus an ever, than pee on a stick with them. When we saw the two little pink lines we hugged and half laughed, half cried. And "Brenda" said congratulations as she washed her hands and I thought well I never was one to pass up the opportunity to make a memory.

I couldn't get ahold of Hugh to tell him until Saturday morning and by then all my family knew, my friend Michelle knew...In my excitement I may have gotten carried away. But I'm pretty sure he knew before the cleaning lady. Besides he was there the first time. It's not like those little pink lines are all that interesting to look at. Right?

Wanna know something bizarre? I have the same due date with this baby as I had with Tristan & Ava. Cue twilight zone music.

Anyway, we are very excited and praying for the normal things, a good pregnancy, a healthy baby, no horrific morning sickness this time. Oh and one more thing about this time. Could we just have one baby please?

An indication of the amount of loving discipline Tristan has been receiving lately

"Night night Poppa."

"Night night Nana."

"Night night spanka spoon."

Happy Anniversary To...Me

"Well I'd like to raise a glass to toast my 7th anniversary."

"Tristan put your knees down!"

"Bentley go lie down!"

"As I was saying, even though Hugh and I can't be together for our anniversary I don't want it to pass by without marking it in some way."

"Tristan hold your spoon properly!"

"Ava keep your hands to yourself."

"Bentley get away from there!"

"Okay right so Happy Aniv..."

"Tristan NO! The bowl stays on the table!"

One more time. Happy Anniversary to me, Happy Anniversary to me, Happy Annivers....

"BENTLEY LIE DOWN!

"Do we have anything stronger than Pepsi?"

Hugh, I love you. I choose you every time. Coming home is stepping into your embrace.

The Joys of Single Parenting

As of January 1st I reprised my role as a resident of the Okanagan. In this role I am a reckless recycler, GST complainer, and all about fuel economy. (Have you seen the price of gas here?) I am also a single parent. For the next 2 months Hugh will be living the carefree life of a student while I try to wait until 5:00 to start drinking.

Hugh has to do 2 months of schooling at SAIT for his heavy duty mechanics apprenticeship in Calgary. Since Jane will also be gone, having accepted an au pair position in Italy, I decided to crash in the Okanagan and get some good visiting time in with family (both sets of Grandparents and Hugh's brother's family) and friends.

So Hugh will get 2 months of sleeping in on weekends and having all sorts of time to do whatever the heck he wants while I get to be mother and father in unrelieved bliss. I'm not at all envious. I don't clench my fists everytime I think of it and I certainly don't want to poke Hugh's eyes out.

It doesn't help that the last 2 days have been, um, difficult. Yesterday the kids didn't say anything that wasn't a whine the entire day. In the hopes of a good distraction from whining I bundled the kids into their snow suits to go for a walk. It is amazing how much torture you can fit into 100 feet. My parents live in the middle of a block. By the time we reached the end Tristan had fallen into the snow and got his hands wet. Apparently snow on exposed skin = death and destruction. Moments after Tristan started screaming Ava was clotheslined by the dogs leash and was flat on her back in the snow, also screaming. At this point the Garbage truck drove by and Bentley (my parents dog) went nuts. Are you there God? It's me, Heather...

The day before I looked at the clock thinking it was close to 5:00. 5:00 means only 2 hours until bedtime and with supper inbetween the time flies. I like 5:00. I was hoping, thinking, praying that it was 5:00. It was 3:15. I honestly thought that day was never going to end.

But today is a better day. I'm not drinking Bailey's in my hot chocolate alone at 1:00 in the afternoon today so right there you have to know things are looking up. Right now the kids are asleep and I'm about to make myself a cup of tea and curl up with Stuart Mclean's newest Vinyl Cafe Book which I was reading in bed last night and laughing so hard I had to smother my face in my pillow so I didn't wake anyone up.

Hopefully I'll get to see some of you while I'm in the Okangan.