Monday, December 20, 2010

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

I am sending this out to anyone who actually reads my blog. Drew I know you look at it once in a while but haven't seen much from you on yours lately.

Anyway, I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. Drink to your hearts content, cherish everyone who has been and still is in your life and try to start the new year on a positive note. I will miss my friends this year as no one will be "home" for Christmas but families grow bigger and everything costs more the bigger they are. I would like to wish Andrew, Sylvia, Olivia & Lexie the best over the holidays from Paul, Nicole, Zoey & Hailey. I would also like to wish Chris & Joanna, Lee & Jayne and Cameron & Beth a happy holidays as well.

Hopefully we can get out and visit some friends over the next year but can't promise. Life is busy with kids and school. Nothing takes up more of your time but is worth it for the rest of your life like children. It does make me sad to think the girls will be out of the house soon (maybe another 15 years) but I hope they will always find their way home if they ever need anything.

I want to share something with you. This year I asked for nothing but clothes. I don't care about what I get because nothing makes me as happy as my girls. The look on their faces on Christmas morning makes my whole year and brings me so much love I can barely keep from crying. I want to make them as happy as possible and to keep them safe. I know we as parents want nothing more than that so I hope you all see as much pleasure in your children this Christmas morning as I see when they see those presents under the tree.

The best thing I could have ever done was to have two wonderful kids who I love more than life itself. Nothing makes me happier than seeing their faces and hearing them laugh. I love their hugs and cherish my time with them because they are my everything. Without Nicole in my life I couldn't have had such amazing girls and I thank her everyday for being the mom and wife that she is.

Cheers!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Growning up faster than we did!

I was watching the girls last night on the computer and how they could navigate and select the websites they want to bring up. I was in high school when I first got onto the Internet. I remember how new it was because I was able to get my last name as my email address for hotmail. Not possible now! The Internet has grown so much and so has technology. The things the kids are asking for Christmas is mind blowing. Zoey wants an ipod and Hailey wants one too. I never asked for anything except for a Nintendo and Super Nintendo because that was the latest and greatest things. The girls can play the Wii without help and can load discs, select characters and play games without me having to help them. Zoey is better at that than Hailey but they are both capable of playing most of the Wii games on Resort, Play and Sports.

They know about texting and like to pretend to send texts on my dead cell phone I gave them. Everything they are learning and picking up is amazing and they are almost at the level Nicole and I are with some of these things. I'm not the most technical guy out there but am trying to grasp hold of the way things are moving but I like the simple and easy. I can't build a computer and have very little knowledge to fix them but can manage on some level. I can't wait to see how advanced the girls will be compared to what we are now. I wonder if this is how my parents felt when my brother, sister and myself were growing up and were telling them about things that they seemed to have very little knowledge of.

I like the simple because it is easier to fix. With everything computerized it is harder to fix and most of the time needs replacing. More money for less thinking. You program it and leave it until it dies or needs to be reprogrammed. I'm not simple by any means but I would rather get dirty and get my hands into fix something. I fixed the air conditioner in the summer when I found a mouse had chewed through the wires. 2 needed to be twisted back together and I fixed the wires and it worked great! If it was chips and processors and boards, I would need to buy a new one instead of using things from around the house to fix it. I just like things to be simpler so I don't have to pay a tech $80/hr to come and fix something I could. Like I did in the air conditioner. I did some exploring and found the problem. I could have said screw it and call someone who would have charged me $80/hr to twist 2 wires together. I could have and did do that for nothing!

Anyway, I know things that can think for themselves are such a nice feature on a fridge or washing machine but when it breaks, how much is it going to cost to fix and can I do it myself? That is the new questions I'm going to start asking when we buy something with that kind of technology. Or what I could do is get the girls to do it because they are getting to that point quickly! I know the girls are growing up faster than I did but I am also immature...which I love! They are doing so well in school and I don't know if that is because we read almost every night to them or because we let them be independent to a degree with some things. Regardless, I know how my parents felt when they looked at each other and realized that we were advancing past what they knew. I won't be hard on them for not knowing certain things anymore because I need to be supportive and hope the girls help us out when everything is over our heads too!!

Cheers!!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

OnStar

Yes OnStar! Ever since we bought the truck I have been amazed at how OnStar works. We have monthly emails with a full diagnostics report from the on board computer in the truck. No need for a $100 diagnostics from the garage because we get it monthly in an email and can log onto the OnStar site for more detailed reports also. The hands free calling is nice to have and out of the 150 minutes we have, we still have 134 left but will expire in 2 months. There is also tons of amazing features that OnStar can do. If your vehicle is stolen they can find it on GPS, tell the cops where it is and shut the engine off so the vehicle will roll to a stop. They can also unlock your vehicle if you leave your keys in it. The most important is the crash response that is something I thought wouldn't be needed because of me always having my phone with me. After thinking a bit more about this, I realized that if we were in an accident and I ended up unable to call because I was knocked out, they would send emergency personnel. I want to make sure the girls are safe and taken care of if I am unable to help them. Not only would the OnStar operator come over the speakers and talk to us but would also talk to the girls and try to keep them calm until help arrived.

I didn't care about the OnStar features when making my purchase but am I ever glad it has it now! It truly is something to see. I know other brands claim safety and reliability but how could you ever compete with OnStar.....you can't! Anyone who has never seen OnStar or looked into it should really try it out at a dealership if shopping for a new vehicle and check out all the info you can on this amazing product. I must say that I am not a one brand kinda man because I like other makes and models on the market but I may be a GM guy for life now. You just can't compare. They are in a league of their own when it comes to safety and innovation. GM has developed some pretty great safety features and has allowed other makers to have the idea to make sure we are all safe but OnStar is one thing that GM was smart to hold onto because it is amazing. Having your guardian angel with you is nice but having OnStar in addition to your angel is even better.

Cheers!

Monday, November 29, 2010

Simple and yummy

Now my best friend who blogs on Helpful Daddy has some great recipes that he has made for his family and he has given me some great ideas. When I cook for the girls, I like it easy and with simple ingredients that I can find in any grocery store. I love the Kraft cooking magazines we get in the mail and they are free. Just go to Kraft Canada on the web and sign up. I also like other recipe sites but found two really good ideas that I tried last week and both turned out great. One is a vegetarian dish and the other a chicken dish. I am not the person who endorses vegetarian dishes but I do have an open mind and one meal without meat a week isn't such a bad idea. So here are the basic steps I took in making them and I will also add a few comments on what I will do next time I make these meals.



Slow Cooker Country Chicken Stew

1. I took 4 boneless, skinless chicken breats out of a box we bought at M&M's. Very clean and no fat on the chicken. Cut into 1 inch cubes and toss in flour.
2. 1 can of low sodium chicken broth, 1 package sliced mushrooms, 3-4 large carrots sliced and 1 medium onion sliced into the slow cooker and add the chicken. Place on high heat for 3-4 hours or 7-8 on low.
3. With 30 minutes left to cook or just before you want to eat place 1 cup of frozen peas into slow cooker and half of a 250g tub of herb and garlic cream cheese low fat.
4. Stir together and make sure cream cheese has worked its way into the broth and over all veggies and meat.
5. Serve after everything is hot.

Now I found that potatoes would be nice in the stew and corn. You can always leave out the mushrooms and the low sodium and low fat was my choice but you could use regular chicken broth and cream cheese. Really you can add or subtract anything you want from this stew and make it your own. A friend at work that I showed my leftovers to suggest another great idea.

http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/slow-cooker-pantry-chicken-stew-120585.aspx

Once the stew has finished, place into pie shell  that has been baked and top with stuffing. Bake until stuffing crispy and serve. I might just try that next time. I would suggest using stove top, which is my favourite, and I like the low sodium one.

The other recipe I tried is a vegetarian dish but very tasty.



Eggplant Rollatini

1. Large eggplant peeled and sliced length ways or cut into round pieces. I did the round pieces and it work okay but a friend cut it length ways and said it was easier to roll. Mine looked like tacos!!
2. Place eggplant in oven at 350 for about 10 minutes to soften up so it will roll easier.
3. You will need a small container of ricotta cheese, 1 pkg mozzarella cheese shredded, 1/2 cup basil, 1/3 cup bread crumbs & 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
4. Place into bowl but save some mozzarella for topping the eggplant in the pan. Mix together.
5. Once eggplant has cooled, place mixture onto eggplant and roll. Place in 9X12 pan that has been sprayed or oil rubbed to prevent sticking.
6. Pour tomato sauce over eggplant and finish off with extra mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350.

Now I would have liked a bit more flavour and garlic and onion would have been nice to add. Very delicious however and generally good for you if you don't eat the cheese!!!

This recipe can be found at: http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/eggplant-rollatini-119166.aspx

Anyway, I found both to be very good and easy to make. Not too much complicity and tastes very good. Nicole enjoyed the country stew and I ate all the eggplant rollatini!

Cheers!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Santa is a coming!

Well Nicole and I have been buying up gifts for the girls and others since we have found some good deals and I would rather have it finished sooner than later. We also attended 2 parades over the weekend. Saturday night was the Oshawa Santa Claus parade of lights. Everyone really enjoyed it and they had some really fun floats. They had a YMCA float and had people on the sides of the road dancing to the YMCA song. The young ones didn't get it but you could see the older crowd light up when they heard that float coming down the street blasting those familiar tunes! They had a great parade with good flow and lots of variety with bands spaced nicely throughout.

Sunday afternoon we also attended the Toronto Santa Claus parade. What a let down! I'm not kidding. This was a complete mess and looked like it was really thrown together on a last minute shuffle. They start with the police cars from the area and the celebrity clowns. They began the parade and then no one to be seen. We waited 5 minutes until the next float came around the corner. Now we were at the 3/4 mark of the parade so we were not at the end but close enough. Finally more floats and bands came around the corner but that was short lived. We saw about another 20 minutes of floats and then another break in the parade. We waited 4 times for the parade to come around the corner and each time was longer and longer. We saw 99% of the parade and once Santa failed to show up in a timely manner and packed up and left. We weren't the only ones! Lots of other people left before we did but almost everyone around us was complaining. I have never seen such a mess of a parade before and since it is the longest running parade, you expect a better showing than what was the final outcome.

We decided we won't be going back to the parade for 3 reasons.

1. You need to get a spot early or you won't be able to get the kids close to see. We got our spot at 11:40am and the parade didn't start until 12:45pm. It took until 1:53pm until the parade got to us.

2. The cold and poor parade flow. I don't want myself or me kids freezing while we wait for a break in the parade. I never thought I would pay $9.00(which is cheap compared to every other lot) at the green P lot to watch a shitty broken parade. I could have watched it at home and they could have made it look awesome but we say it for what it really was.

3. The traffic was super shitty and took us 25 minutes to go 1KM to get onto the Gardiner to hit the DVP north. I was stuck in an intersection with a bus and ambulance block me from turning left with traffic passing in front and behind us. The DVP was also shitty heading north.

So next year we will attend the Oshawa parade. Great little parade and local with a 10 minute drive home. We will watch the Toronto parade from home while drinking beer, eating chili and have the comfort of heat and a clean toilet next year!!

Cheers!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Tis the season.....to kill!

Well tomorrow I leave to go 2 hours up north deer hunting. I am looking forward to it and have been getting all my things together. Nicole takes a week off of work also because it is just easier. She sometimes doesn't like the fact I'm gone for a week but it is the only real time I can get away and relax. It is such a laid back time up there and the forest is so amazing this time of year. Lots of animals foraging for food and of course when you are sitting quietly you can see so many new things that you can't see anywhere else. I watched a squirrel run around and gather food one day. He would go up a tree and stop to look around like he was being followed. Then go into his home or hiding spot for his food and come out 30 seconds later. He repeated this task about 6 times before he noticed I was sitting there watching the whole thing unfold.

I also stood once at a watch and saw a fisher. They look like a ferret but 5 times bigger with a head that resembles a bear. It ran around and came within about 15 feet of me before I made a noise so it wouldn't get too much closer. They are very mean little things if confronted and I didn't want to shoot it because I was looking for deer and there is no point in wasting a life.

So as Friday draws closer, I am getting more excited to go. I'm going to miss the girls and Nicole but will see them in 7 days so it isn't too much. Hopefully this will be the year I can shoot my first deer and have it hanging from the hooks. I will take my camera to take pictures and my phone since we can still get service up there. I will see you in a week!

Cheers!!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Movember

Well this is going to be about me and my fellow men in the world. Prostate cancer is a real concern in men's health and every bit of awareness is key to having the proper things in place to help fight this disease. I have signed up and am participating in Movember for those who don't know. Movember consists of having a clean shaven face starting November 1st and growing and grooming a moustache for the entire month. The hope is that family, friends and the public will see more moustaches and this will bring to light how many people actually are in support of fighting cancer.

I have not had a clean shaven face since grade 10 at Kenner C.V.I. when I was about 16. Most people have forgotten what I look like without because I have been sporting the beard for the last 15 years. For me to shave it off is huge and hope to do it all again next year and support it every year after that. I encourage all my family and friends to support me and even join up and do it as well. Since we are only on the 2nd you can easily jump on board this worthy cause.

I hope that the fundraising I do for prostate cancer will help someone close to me if they ever need the support and I will be there for them since I am putting my face forward for the cause. I would hate to see someone close to me lose this battle with cancer when I could have done something. This is the easiest way to support cancer research because you don't have to go out for a walk or run and it takes no extra time other than grooming which most of us do anyway on a daily basis.

Check out Movember and see what good work this movement is doing for men's health.

http://ca.movember.com/

Cheers!!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Halloween treats

This year we had some fun out with the girls and they had a blast running house to house getting candy for us!! No I won't be eating their candy but did go through it all to make sure it was safe. I know we heard it as kids and some sick people actually do try and hurt people by sticking tacks and powders on candy. How much do you really have to worry when it come to that? I know some people do make an effort to make it fun for kids by putting some candy in Halloween bags with chocolate bars and chips but also some bulk barn type Halloween candy. That is the type that we throw right in the garbage because you just can't trust people these days or at least I don't.

Why do they sell bulk Halloween candy like candy corn, jube jubes and others? I would only eat it if a friend had it out or I bought it myself because it is the only way to be safe. I'm sure 99% of loose candy is safe but I wouldn't want to make a mistake and my kids pay for it so I just toss it. Another thing is as kids we would go to a house with the outside light on and skip the ones without since we knew they had no candy or weren't home. Kids don't seem to have this knowledge or don't care. I saw 4 kids come to my door, as I stood at my neighbours having a beer outside, and knock on the door. I told them we had candy but over here where we had a bowl in plain sight with candy. My outside light was out and the main level was dark because Nicole had the girls upstairs. They still knocked and it was also 8:45pm which the street was empty except for these 4 kids. Since it was colder than previous years everyone packed it in early and no one was out after 8:25pm.

Anyway, nothing really much other than that. Kids had fun and we had fun watching them run door to door. I was very pleased and proud to hear the girls using their manners which I didn't tell them but did remind them only once to which they replied "we are using our manners dad. We are being good". They were good and made me proud yet again.

On a side note....Zoey won her 3rd....yes 3rd award for academics at her school. She needs 1 more award to keep a trophy. They give out awards for the 4 A's at her school. Academics, Athletics, Attitude and Art. She has already won each year of school so we are hoping for a 4th so she can have something to display. Hailey is also doing really well and her teacher says she is in the top percentage in her class. She is ahead of most kids because of Zoey helping her and Hailey is always excited for school so they are both doing amazing.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Cross boarder shopping

We are leaving the kids at home with my sister and heading with another couple down to Erie, PA to do some low tax shopping! We have been going down to Erie for the last 4 years and we enjoy it for Christmas shopping and with no tax on clothing you can't beat it. 6% tax on everything else which beats 14% in Ontario!! It will be a fun weekend and we will be checking out the great deals and having some drinks. We have bought many Christmas gifts over the years and they have things in the malls we don't have here. It is a small town but very good for shopping. Most people go to Grove City which is a little farther down the highway but Erie has the same places to shop so we save a little gas.

Anyway, with our dollar so close to the American green back, it is the best time to buy those items you can't find at home or are just cheaper than what we are used to paying. Plus it is a nice getaway for the parents to be goofy and have fun. I love my girls so much but it is nice for mommy and daddy to have some us time!!

Cheers!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Mr. Fix-it

Well I would like to say I can fix most problems around the house when they arise but I can't fix them all. My family thinks I can and I love them for that. Recently (Last Friday) our dryer blew a fuse. I replaced the fuse and tried the dryer again. It fired up and began to spin and everything look good. Nicole called me at work and asked me if I had checked the laundry lately. I told her I didn't have a chance to but it should be good. She told me it was musty and stunk. I told her to wash it again and dry it. She called back an hour later and said the dryer was not blowing hot air and wouldn't heat up. I had no idea what to do but hit up google for any information I could find on trouble shooting no heat from the dryer.

I found so much info on this and actually learned tons of new information. Like how to use my multimeter properly, how the dryer works and not to touch it when you still have it plugged in! The last part was because I was checking a connection and accidentally touched the live wire. Anyway, I found a step by step on how to remove the heating element from your dryer to have it tested at a store or repair shop. I did get it tested and it turned out to be okay...that's what I was told. The woman showed me a picture of what it could be and I went home to do some more testing. After watching Youtube videos on fixing dryers, I found out that I must have placed a dead tube fuse back into my fuse panel and since my dryer runs off of two tubes and I guess I flipped the case they are in upside down and got the drum rolling but not the heating element. So now I know I need two fuses to make this thing work but ended up breaking a thermal cutoff which you can't buy seperately but in a kit for $42.95. I have since had someone at work solder the piece I broke so after I buy my fuses tonight on my way home from work, I hope to have heat again in the dryer and put the dryer back together properly! I will let you know how it goes with an update tomorrow!

So if there is something you don't know how to fix or have an idea but aren't completely sure, I recommend searching everything you can and then hit the project full on. If this fuse thing doesn't work I will also be searching Kijiji for a used dryer!!

Cheers!

Update: It was the stupid fuse and lucky for me the soldering job held up and laundry has been caught up!! Check the fuses first before ripping your dryer apart. Important tip from me!!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

School Girls

Well I must say it was nice last week to have no kids in the house and we were able to go and get some things done. We went shopping and had a nice lunch. I do miss the girls but do enjoy having the alone time. I can get more done like cleaning and organizing. I can do it when they are home but once I pull something out that they have not played with in a few months, it is not put down for hours after seeing it again. I'm glad they find a new interest in an old neglected toy but I was trying to put it away and clean.

I have little projects that need attention so this will give me time to focus on them and hopefully finish. Maybe we can go for a movie also or more time together. Kids do take up so much of your attention and time but they are so worth it. The girls love school and Hailey is excited to go. It is also a bit of a different challenge for us keeping the lunches interesting and with items they will eat and like.

But it is great for them to be in school and socializing with kids so they can learn important life skills from the teachers and how to interact with others. It is sad to see them grow and not be at home all the time but I know this is a great opportunity for them to learn so much and I can fill in what I know.

With a tear in my eye and a little tug at my heart, I send them off to school to learn and grow. It makes them a better person and leads the way for a bright future and a strong start in becoming successful women.

Cheers!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Being Girly!

Now I'm no where near girly...unless you ask my wife or closest friends which lie anyway! I enjoy guy things and getting dirty and making and fixing things. The girls on the other hand enjoy girl things and looking pretty in dresses. They do like to help me do things and enjoy seeing things get fixed or making things. Hopefully they will make choices towards interests not based on what I like, but what they like. I know parents have an influence on what the kids do but we like to introduce them to activities that interest them. We have signed them up for dance and they told us they wanted to do it. If they try it and do the classes and like it then mission accomplished. If they don't like it at least it wasn't $200 like it would be if they signed up for hockey! This year we are getting both girls on skates so they can learn and hopefully decide if they want to play hockey or not. I think they would be great at it. Zoey has the drive and skill where Hailey has the edge and aggressiveness. If they don't like it then I'm okay with that. Saves me tons of money and early morning practices!!

They do like dressing up and doing girly things but would like to at least introduce them to things I like. Not to push them into doing things I do, but to show them that they are unisex activities. I know lots of women who hunt or ATV or enjoy hockey. The kids don't have to do any of those but if they experience them then they can truly say if they like them or not. I would never say they couldn't do something because I don't like it or think it is dumb. I would never go into dance but they seem excited about it and if they love it, I love it because I love them and seeing them happy. The best thing about doing activities together is seeing how happy they are because that is what makes me happy.

We all live for our kids and they are the most important thing in our lives so making them happy is the most rewarding thing to parents. Nothing makes me feel better than to see their smiles and hear them laugh. It is the best.

On a side note, we only have 10 days of summer left until the fall!!

Cheers!

Saturday, September 4, 2010

New addition to the family

Well it has been 5 months since we put down or good old friend Max. He was a good dog but we rescued him when he was 8 years old. I wanted to give him a second chance and he had a great life with us. My mom also recently put down her cat of 18 years after finding out she had cancer in her mouth. Now we have been talking about getting a new friend but nothing solid and wanted to enjoy the summer. Now it is time.

Tomorrow (Sunday) Nicole and the girls are going to Bewdley to pickup our new bundle of joy from a breeder. It just turns out that Nicole's dad knows the guy and he rents his dogs out for hunting in the fall. We have picked a new addition called Lucy and she will be joining us to start a new life. She is a pure bred beagle and the mom is a great hunter and so is the dad. I was offered a contact to train her to hunt and track and will take him up on that offer. We are going to get her right into training because I want her to come when she is called and obey every command we give her. This is the first puppy for our family, even though we did get Tawny our lab/husky mix when she was 10 months old, she was already trained somewhat. I am looking forward to the challenge and have to say that I'm turning towards Cesar Millan's books for guidance. He does do a great job with dogs and knows his shit! I want this dog to be very loyal and obey so I don't have to chase her all over the country trying to get her back.

Today we bought a new dog bed, bowls, food, collar, leash, toys and tag. Everyone is very excited to get her home and even my inlaws are getting a beagle puppy from the same breeder. They will pick up their puppy on the 14th since they have one from a different litter.

I will post pics and hopefully she will be smart like her big sister Tawny!

Cheers!

Friday, August 27, 2010

Back to School!!

In 11 days the kids are going back to school. Yep, at the Pagett house we are excited and looking forward to Hailey starting Junior Kindergarten! She is excited and has a bus orientation this weekend which Zoey also attended 2 years ago. The kids get used to getting on and off the bus, learn bus safety and the drivers take the kids and parents for a 10 minute ride to experience what it is like to ride a school bus. The safety video is whinne the pooh and friends but about 25 years old. I think we saw it in school!

The girls have been shopping for back packs, clothes, school supplies and we have been buying healthy food for lunches. We have mostly done the healthy food for ourselves but need the kids to join us in the fight! We are excited for Hailey for 3 reasons. She is going to school and we can't wait to see how she does. I know she is a smart kid and hopefully she follows in Zoeys footsteps and is a leader in the class. Second, we will save in babysitting which is a bonus unless we are both on afternoons which we would still be paying but still saving! Third and the most important, we will have no kids in the house for at least 2 days a week so we can clean the house, have a lunch date, sex....wishful thinking on my part! The point is is that we will have a little freedom to shop in quiet and buy Christmas gift without having to hide them.

I will let you know how that goes but since I haven't blogged in 2 weeks that just goes to show how busy I am. I am also on a new schedule at work so we will see how that works out for things as well. Fucking night shifts but at least it is only 1 week out of 7 weeks of rotation! I can handle that.

So cheers to the end of the summer and a nice hot one at that. I must say that I am sad to see it go but extremely excited for the hunting season to go full swing. I am counting the days......1 month to duck hunting....1 month and 3 weeks to moose hunting and the big one......10 weeks to the deer hunt!!!

Hope you had a great summer Drew.....i think you are the only one who reads this anyway!!! LOL

Paul

Friday, August 13, 2010

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers

Well I got home last night after working 10 hours plus a drive into and out of work so it was like a 13 hour day! I knew the stove was being cleaned and I had to cook my chicken on the BBQ which I had no problem with but my wife left everything soaking in soapy water. I had no elements and the range was up so you could clean under the burners. I decided I would finish the job while the chicken was cooking on the BBQ. Most things came off fairly easily but one burner has a black ring on the outside because we use it the most since it is the larger burner and at the front. I had hot soapy water but this was not coming off. I used some elbow grease and was getting no where. I decided to look under the sink because I thought we had a magic eraser. I found an original one but also found a box of some with a scrubber. I read the box and the scrubber was perfect for what I was about to use it for. Instead of using the whole eraser I decided to cut about 1/3 off since I was only cleaning a small area. Good tip for saving money and making it last longer!

I put it under water and rung it out. I looked at it and thought this would be my answer. At first nothing came off but then a little pressure and wow! Everything that was in the black ring began to come off and I was very impressed. I have used the original before and it works well but this one kicked ass! I love it and instead of scrubbing hard for minutes with a dish rag and scouring pad, this thing did it with speed and results quickly.

I highly recommend trying one out and it doesn't matter which type you use. They all work great and I'm sure you can get coupons online or check out the website to see if they have any offers. You can also try brandsampler.ca and they can get you free stuff or save.ca for coupons.

Check it out and save your arms!

P.S. A quick note about the BBQ chicken. I had nothing but chicken when I was done cooking so I was looking for something to go along with it. I found something very interesting and actually very yummy.....yes I said yummy! I found some english muffins in the fridge and decided I would toast them and put chicken on them. I also found my new favourite and amazing mayo in the fridge. Roasted garlic mayo! Awesome on anything you can think of. Burgers, sandwiches, fries for those who like to do that, any recipe that calls for mayo and garlic because this is the perfect blend for it and whatever else you do with mayo. A friend at work also bought baconaise.....yes bacon flavoured mayo and they said it was amazing. I will let you know how that turns out next time I'm down in the states and can find it! Anyway I had 3 english muffins, toasted with chicken and garlic mayo......great dinner!!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Media and your kids

We all read, listen or watch the news in some capacity in a day to day basis just to see what is going on in our area and around the world. We hear about new ways of getting sick and how not to be scammed out of money. Don't use this because we did a study and found that blah, blah, blah. If you took everything you saw in the news as fact you would be a freaking mess.

When the whole H1N1 pandemic broke out I was against getting the shot for myself or the kids because I thought it was an over blown issue. I then changed my mind and thought that this might be something more than what they are telling us. But before I went anywhere a co-worker of mine told me his wife worked in the lab that is producing the shot for H1N1. He told me that it was an untested shot and that no one in the plant was getting it because of the possible side effects. That made my mind up and we decided to skip getting the shot which turned out fine for us. Our neighbour got it and him and his kids were very sick for a week after getting it. I don't buy into the hype to easily and am very skeptical anyway. I have worked in the media for some time and know how these things get blown up when they didn't need to be.

The best thing to do from the public view is to be skeptical on everything. Don't think that the media is out to put fear in you because they are trying to inform you to make your own decisions. Maybe not the case in the USA but in Canada it is more reporting on what is happening or what has happened. A good example is the giant hogweed story I read and then blogged about. I was shocked to read it and was genuinely worried about it but I did the research after reading the story to come to my own opinion. I have yet to see giant hogweed and probably won't see any this year but at least I know what to look for and can then understand what it is and what it can do.

The best thing to do is not act on the first impulse and inform yourself before doing anything. They had an equal billing issue with Enbridge that affected 100,000 customers having been under charged all year and having a big bill in July. My first impulse was to panic and think oh great since we are on equal billing. Our July bill came and I was paying more so we had a credit and our gas bill was $16.57! I didn't need to worry and call Enbridge and bitch like I thought about doing. They have more than 100,000 customers on equal billing so it was a small percentage who got screwed. Well not screwed but were being under charged each month. They still used the gas so they have to pay but Enbridge will not charge interest for not paying the full amount and has given them around a year to pay it off. Reasonable and a compromise I think.

Anyway, be informed before you start worrying about something you only know very little about. Remember that the news stories on average are only about a minute and 45 second long. Not enough to get you all the information.....just the scary stuff that gets viewers to watch!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Back from vacation

Well we have gotten back from a week of vacation and I'm also back to work as well. We tried to do as much as possible without breaking the bank. We went to the cottage, water park, zoo in Peterborough, bowling and Niagara Falls. We had a blast and the girls had a great time too. Thankfully in Niagara Falls a large number of the attractions are free for kids under 6! We only had to pay for ourselves. I didn't know this until Sunday and think we may have to take a trip during the week for a last fun trip so they can go on more rides!

Anyway, I will be brief and keep this short for now. Not much to talk about but our trip and that is a lot of typing that I can't be bothered to do right now.

More to come once I get back into the swing of things!

Friday, July 30, 2010

Wii

The Wii has become a fun activity the kids can do with us as well. We play games and have fun together but is this really the best thing for them? I tend to think it is. The hand eye coordination is a big thing and it helps them to learn and think when doing certain games. For example, the girls like the bowling on the Wii sports and Wii resort. So we bought a summer pass that costs us $4.50 for the 4 of us and that is to play 2 games. A great deal and this way they can put the Wii play into reality. They love bowling and have load of fun. It was worth getting the pass.

I found out the other day while in the backyard that Zoey has a great eye for picking up and hitting a ball with a bat. Now I'm not talking underhand. She can smack and underhand pitch but I threw a ball over hand from about 35 feet away and she hit it. Not just a tip but hit it straight back at me. I thought it was a fluke but she did it again and again. I don't know for sure if this is due to the Wii but she has a wicked eye for hitting that ball. I will be putting her in baseball next spring! Her timing is pretty good also when she plays the baseball game as well. I used to have to tell her when to swing but now we can play together and she does fine on her own.

Video games have changed so dramatically since we were kids but I think this is better because it seems to be having a positive effect on motor skills. I'm not an expert but it seems this way to me. I'm not going to knock the Wii because it does get you up and moving even if it is just swinging your arms but it does promote being active. I know I want to get the girls more active so they aren't sitting on the couch watching TV all day. I do enough of that at work!

Friday, July 23, 2010

It must be a girl thing!

So I have been on a huge learning curve since the girls are getting older and trying to be more mature. I ask them about clothes I fold and who it might belong to. They are great at telling me if it is theirs or not. I have made the mistake of not properly separating the girls clothes and accidentally having a piece of clothing end up in the wrong closet or drawer. I didn't think it was an issue and they could easily take it to each other but that isn't the case.

I get a typical "THIS ISN'T MINE!" and it is usually followed by them throwing it into each others room. I know when I had things mixed up with my brother when we were young I would throw it on his bed or in his drawer. No big deal and it never was an issue. I guess girls are a whole different breed which I always kinda knew. But I never expected this. I have a sister so I have seen what I thought was all but I was so wrong. I guess when two people have kids you assume they will behave similar to what you were like as a kid. I'm not sure of what Nicole was like as a kid but they definitely take after both of us. I see glimmer of myself when I was a kid and know for a fact I did the same things they are doing. Today Zoey asked for a cell phone because the babysitters daughter has one. She is 12 and Zoey isn't 6 yet. So to make my point I told her to grab the portable phone and dial our number. She knows our number but to dial it was a different thing all together. She couldn't do it and I proved my point. She understood right away and I also told her she just got an ATV so no cell phone until she is older.

I'm dreading the days to come where a trip to the mall will be a big undertaking and cost me more than a monthly mortgage payment. They will be working and spending their own money and saving a little for school. I worked from 16 and they can too! If they can learn to value a dollar, I have won! I have so much to look forward to and so much that I can't wait to pass it off for Nicole deal with!! No period talks since I have never had one but can tell you what it is like to be one the other end of one upset female!! I will do my part when the boyfriends come around and let them know I love the outdoors, my daughters and hunting. They can take from it what they will.

My friends with one or two daughters know what I am talking about and we need to take what we can from each other because a guy living in a house with all women needs an outlet. It can't always be pink painted toes, hair appointments, boy crush talks and shopping. I need to get out with the guys for a little time to ungirlify from everything I know that is coming at home! Yes...I said ungirlify and I first used it here. Just give me the credit when you use it as well!!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Injured Blogger

Well we were busy Saturday and it was a beautiful day for an outing. I went out with my father inlaw and my manager from work for an atv ride. Great ride and a ton of fun. I came home before dinner and then we decided to go to the drive in to watch a couple of movies. Everyone was out in the truck except for me because I was grabbing some last minutes things people didn't bother to take with them. I locked the front door and had two stairs to go down and you think this would be an easy task. Let me back it up about 3 weeks ago. When we bought a table off Kijiji I rolled my ankle going out the door with my tool box after locking the door. It really hurt but didn't swell up and was okay after about 10 minutes. No big issue but it has been tender and sore since then and weak.

Now bring it forward 3 weeks and as I headed out down the stairs, history repeats itself. I felt or heard it kind of crunch like the sound an empty water bottle makes when you squeeze it in your hands. Then intense pain and about 20 seconds until I put myself in a state of "I fucked something up". My neighbours were out also and came over since Nicole saw nothing and ask if I was okay. I replied "i think so." to which my neighbour said "uh dude, look at your ankle." I looked and it was swelling up. Nicole put ice on it and held it for about 30 seconds before I told her I was going in to put it up and just sit for a second. After laying on the couch and the pain hitting me again I looked at her and said "it is fucked up and really hurts" to which she replied "we are going to emergency."

After sitting only about 2 hours and 15 minutes I was out after a set of xrays and a disgusted look by the doctor. She told me she would have the radiologist take a second look and call me but she didn't see a break but it was a severe sprain. I was prescribed T3's and anti inflammatory medication which helped with sleeping and pain. It is still very sore and I can put a little pressure on it but still need crutches to get around for the most part. So back to blogging and enough about me. The kids have been good at helping and understanding I have one less leg to rely on so they have been less needy and Nicole has been great at helping me and getting things for me.

Hopefully it will heal soon but I know it will be a long road until I can use it 100% since I torn all the ligaments and tendons.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Giant Hogweed


Well here in Ontario we have had reports recently about giant hogweed. I didn't know what it was and didn't care too much. I thought it was like the purple loosetrife that has invaded our wetlands and taken over from local plants. This is similar but a whole lot more dangerous. I have been reading and doing some research on this plant to find out what the big deal is and this is what I have found.


It is found all across Canada and grow to 20 feet tall. It has sap that if it comes in contact with the skin it will cause severe burns with painful blisters. It needs to be removed with soap and water immediately because it is activated by the sun. The sap can also cause temporary or permanent blindness so stay away from this plant at all costs. It has 50,000 seeds that it releases every year so this is becoming a big problem. You can also read about it here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Hogweed
I love the outdoors and we like taking the dog for a walk in the woods so I am going to make sure the girls know not to go near or touch it because I would hate to see something happen to them or anyone else.
From one parent to another, if you are not sure what it is don't touch it or go near it because you could end up worse than just walking by. I would hate for anyone to have to go through this and especially the blindness it could cause. Stay safe this summer.....your family depends on you.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

ATV's for kids

I have recently bought an ATV and have really enjoyed the sport. You have so many options when it comes to trail riding. As long as you have the proper tools with you, it should be a extremely fun trip. You can ride flat and smooth trails, challenging trails or a little bit of both. I like a bit of a challenge so a trail that has everything is what I like to ride. I also use my ATV for hunting and it helps to go places you could never walk in because it would take you too long. It is also a huge help in getting big game out of the woods when that time comes. I am still waiting for that but hopefully soon!

Anyway, my friend at work is selling his sons ATV because he has gotten to big for it and asked me if I was interested in buying it. Zoey has said she wants to go for rides with me and with this purchase she can do that. I still need to check the laws but I know she can ride it on private property without it having a license or insurance on it so we have a few places she can ride. I still have to find her a helmet because I won't let her on it without one. I am hoping she gets into the sport which is the fastest growing in Ontario right now. We can ride some nice flat areas to get her used to it and she won't have any ground clearance so we won't be going on any challenging terrain. She is really excited about riding and I am too. My friend is also going to give me an electric ATV for Hailey that she can ride around the yard or else where.

I would rather start her out young so she can understand the positives of the sport and also learn her limits. I don't want her getting hurt but it might happen. I did my first trip when I miss judged a turn and was thrown off my ATV. Not really hurt but it made me aware that it doesn't turn or stop as good as I thought. I will still go fast but I know what I need to slow down and also turn a corner. You won't know your limits unless you push yourself sometimes. The ATV she is getting has a limiter so I can set the speed so she won't take off and she can get used to the throttle so she won't goose it and have the bike fly out from under her or flip. We will take it slow and see how it goes.

I will update with the progress she is making or an ad to sell!! Hopefully the progress she has made!

Monday, July 5, 2010

Planning a family summer vacation

Planning a family vacation regardless of the season is a task that becomes more difficult as kids get older. They both want to do different things and you need to find something that will please young and old. I always break down the vacation in 3 areas. Price, activities, lodging are the areas I focus on. Not in any order but really you have to decide how much you are going to spend on a vacation without breaking the bank.

We are looking into Marineland for the girls because they want to go see the whales and the rides. I was okay with the idea but finding a hotel that is close to the falls and cheap is a task in itself. I would like it close to the falls so we can walk and avoid paying for pricey parking fees since this is the high season for the tourists. It makes it alot easier to walk around to see everything and not having to waste too much gas. I looked at the prices for Marineland and the good news is that Hailey is free! Bad news the rest of us will cost about $120 for admission which doesn't include the arctic cove which is an extra charge. So if I can find a hotel or motel close to the falls for $100/night we are looking at $230 + $120 + $200 in food and other activities. $550 for a weekend in the falls was not something I would like to spend!

I was hoping to maybe swap them towards something a whole lot cheaper. Nicole's Uncle has a cottage which used to be her Nan's house before she passed away but it is on the river and near Stoney Lake and another smaller lake. So we could stay for free or at least pay a super low price for any hydro used. We could have access to a boat for fishing and a place to swim. Close to a town for food or other things and her uncle built a playground for his kids or whoever stays. My brother just works up the road and could stop in to say hi or crash for a night. I love the outdoors and this could be a cheap vacation with bonfires, fishing, nature walks and swimming. If all we had to buy was groceries for a weekend it would cost $50 and a week would be about $120.

I am all for the cottage stay and family activities. I hope we can make it happen in the next couple of weeks and have a week vacation for a lot less and more peaceful than trying to figure out lodging. I know the girls had fun last year when we went for a weekend so a little longer would be nice. I only have to sell it now!!

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Canada Day!

I am very proud and happy to be Canadian and would like to wish all my fellow country men and women a Happy Canada Day if your are in Canada or not. I have to work tomorrow but I'm okay with that. I had my shift changed from 10 hours to 8 so I could be home for dinner and not after dinner. I don't mind and look forward to a little extra money. I work for a service provider who is always running on air because if no one was here and the place fell down then no one could watch tv!

Traffic should be very light and make for an easy drive with no stress in the morning and coming home. I leave tonight at 6pm but the traffic will be horrible because almost everyone is taking the next 2 days off. I would too! I might be lucky if I can get home by 7pm but fully expect to be home later with everyone going to the cottage or starting family vacations since school is out for the summer. Tonight will not be a fun drive. I just hope there are no accidents which would make the drive 10 times worse!

I will celebrate when I get home with a few Keystone light beer tall boys! We bought some fireworks for the kids but I really love lighting them and making a big deal of it. You can't deny that fireworks aren't fun and great to watch! We might go watch some down at the lake front in Oshawa but we have our own so we can light them ourselves. I want to stop tonight and get a few more just to make sure I have all that I wanted. I do have a 3 day weekend after tomorrow so I know we will be busy Saturday night with UFC and watch the Lesner and Carwin fight. Should be a great fight with someone getting knocked out.

Anyway,

Happy Canada Day Everyone!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Kijiji

Now most people know about this website or at least have seen it at least once. We have used this website often to find things or do some research to find out how much things are selling for before we post an ad. The people that do read this and don't know what Kijiji is it is simply a site to sell and request things from furniture to cars to clothes and anything else you can think of. It is free to join if you would like to sell items but you can browse and look at ads without signing up. I really like it because not only can you see pictures of items being sold but you can compare to other ads similar to get the best deal.

I have posted and sold many items on Kijiji which is great because some things move really fast and are gone within hours. Some items don't move as fast and may take a week or two but don't be discouraged because someone is always looking for what you are selling. Just be prepared to lower your price to move it quicker. It depends on how badly you want it out of your home also. I have things that didn't sell but that is because no one would pay the price I was asking and the offers were really low.

Last night we picked up a beautiful table with 2 leafs and 6 chairs. 2 of the chairs are captains chairs and they are very comfortable to sit in. They could have sold this for at least $400 or more but they wanted it gone so we picked it up for $150! The couple we bought it off were in their 70's or 80's and didn't need it anymore for just the two of them so we got it at a steal.

I encourage strongly that everyone with or without kids search and browse the site because it is the best place at find great deals if you know what the original price is and how much you are saving by buying it used. Most things are in excellent condition but take your time and find the things that you really need. I also really like yard sales and alot of people post their yard sales on here too! I find about 95% of the yard sales I map out are posted on Kijiji and not from the paper. Why pay for an ad when you can do it on Kijiji for free!!

Monday, June 28, 2010

HST

Well it is the beginning of and end in Ontario. Everything for the most part will cost more. The HST will arrive Thursday morning at 12:00am and we will be seeing the biggest impact at the gas pumps. If gas is around $1.00 per litre it will jump to $1.08 because of the HST. The full list is available at the following link: http://www.rev.gov.on.ca/en/taxchange/taxable.html .

I'm not in favour of the Liberal government and in fact have voted against them at every election for good reason. People in Ontario have a horrible track record of bending over and taking it in the ass! They don't learn. After being lied to and still voting McGuinty back in for another term we are still listening to his lies and losing more than we are gaining. Not that any government should be giving and not taking but this government has taken and not given anything other than the current bribe! They have wasted so much money on wasted things and we are no further ahead then before they came to power. This was way before the recession! I hate to live under a provincial government that lies and no one seems to care.

Maybe next election the Liberals will get the boot and have someone else take power and turn this dismal province around. I don't care who it is but I am pro conservative. Anyone but McGuinty!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Dealing with tantrums

Well this is something we all have seen and always wonder why parents can't control their kids. I have been in the middle of a few in public and wanted to just lay a good swat on the bum to make my point but we all know that people frown on that. I have found that with my girls they do better with a talking to then a hit to the behind. I have tried that old "I'll give you something to cry about" but it never seems to pan out. Threats about losing privileges like movies and going to the park work sometimes but you have to let them know ahead of time of reward for good behaviour.

The last time one or both started to melt down we took them aside and got down to their level so we were looking eye to eye. Something funny about that is our girls are like dogs in the fact that they won't look you in the eye initially. It has something to do with dominance in dogs not looking you in the eye when you get down to their level and I have found that my kids are the same! Who knew? But getting them to look you in the eye and being at their level does work very well and the next part is up to you in how you approach the situation.

I usually start with a question such as "what is wrong? Why are you crying?" This gets them to stop crying and acting up and they try to put into words what is wrong. Let them speak and try to listen without cutting them of or getting upset. STAY CALM!! This is the biggest thing with our styles. Nicole (my wife) has a tendency to sometimes get angry or frustrated with the girls and they tend to feed off that. I had Zoey throwing a huge tantrum at a grocery store and I ignored her and put the food through and paid for it and remained calm even though I wanted to lose it on her. The cashier said I had the "patience of a saint" and I told her I was just trying to get the groceries and go home to deal with it later.

Once you can find out what the tantrum is about then you can address it however you like but don't give them what they want. This will lead to more and worse tantrums in the future. I have made that mistake once and never again. Once you can establish a bit of calm with them you can tell them that they can get what they wanted but at a later time because they were not behaving properly and that is no way to get things. I also offer another chance at a store before heading home even if I don't need to go in for anything. We will go to Canadian Tire and walk around looking at things and I will tell them as we are leaving they can have a little treat for being good and behaving properly. I will also try and get through that they are good they can ask for things and get rewards for being good but not all the time. I always use the magic point system and if they are good I tell them for the next week of being good they can go to see a movie or have a girls night and stay up late. Anything they like you can use as incentive and it will eventually sink in and they will be good without reward.

You are really training your child to be good in public and listen to your requests....commands....whatever you like. Once they listen and you can talk to them in simple sentences you can get on the same page and you can sense the frustration they are felling on you saying no but you can explain why and tell them to shoot for that bigger goal of a night out at the movies to see a new kids film instead of the tantrum over the chocolate bar. It won't happen overnight but you will see a change over time. It will get better but you have to stick with it and not give in. I am able to talk to the kids and tell them they are not going to get something because they were misbehaving. I tell them when and where and get them to acknowledge the incident so they can recall it and remember how they were acting. I'm hoping this will make them think about they way they behaved and they will learn from each time they act up and things are taken away.

Try it and hopefully you can fit this advice in your day to day trips to better help you train yourself to be a better parent for your child.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Earthquake

Today around 1:40pm we had an earthquake at 5.0 magnitude which was a little shocking considering I live in Ontario. It was centered just outside Montreal and Ottawa but could be felt in a large area. It was something that I have never experienced and was really neat. My sister who is about a 45 minute drive away felt it and we sent texts back and forth. I was sitting and kind of frozen when the tremor started. It lasted about 10 to 15 seconds but was enough to make you wonder what the hell was going on.

Just made me think since the largest we had was around 3.0 that it was an isolated quake or could we get more of these. I guess it made me think of some movies like 2012, the core and the day after tomorrow. How far off are these movies or is it just your what if brain making you think about the end of days coming sooner than later!

I'm going to buy some more beer and have lots of sex if we are alive when the world is coming to an end....well at least I can drink beer!

Naan Bread Pizza's

This is something we came across with no pizza dough or english muffins. We had extra pizza sauce and pepperoni because the girls like eating it. The first time we made it was a little floppy so I decided to bake it first to stiffen it up and then top it and melt the cheese and not burn the naan bread.

We like any kind of naan but it is all the same. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the naan on a cookie sheet for support. Let them cook until they seem crispy or are not flopping around. Ovens vary so keep an eye on them but it should be about 6-10 minutes. Take the cookie sheet out and place sauce, pepperoni and cheese on the bread and place back into the oven to warm up toppings and melt the cheese. Careful not to burn the naan or the kids won't eat it. Remove from oven when cheese is melted and let cool so they don't burn their mouth.

It is an easy and quick snack or meal from them and is great with the different flavours of naan bread. Play with it to find your own favourite but it is a great personal pizza for yourself as well.

Chucky Cheese

Now this is my first parenting tip for anyone looking for a party idea for their kids. We have used Chucky Cheese in the past and they have two separate areas. One area is for parties and the other is for people just coming to play games and eat food. We would use the empty tables in the party area and have a party for the kids. We also could use more than one coupon since they never said we couldn't use more than one and the staff didn't care. Now that has all changed.

BEWARE! We arrived at Chucky Cheese yesterday at around 5:15pm and we greeted as always. We walked towards the party area and saw that all the tables had reserved signs on them. I look at Nicole (my wife) and said that they can't all be reserved. I went back to the front and asked the young man if the tables were all reserved. He told me that they were to which I replied " There are that many parties here tonight?" because they have about 20 long tables and 15 booths. I was then told I couldn't use the party area unless I had booked a party with Chucky Cheese. What the fuck? They charge around $16.95 per child and that is only food for the kids....no food for the adults! So we had 8 kids at $16.95 plus tax of some sort....probably 13%.....so that is $153.23 and then I would have to buy food for the parents which is 31.95 for the cheapest pizza deal they have. So another $72.21 for 2 of those which would be a total of $225.44 for a party at Chucky Cheese!

What we did was I printed off coupons and did multiple copies so I could use the coupons more than once. They said I could only use one coupon per visit so I went to the bank and took out money. I gave two parents money so they could use the coupons and buy the pizza for me since I couldn't use them all at once like we have done in the past. The girl didn't catch on or didn't care so we got away with using the coupons and it cost us only $27.38 per coupon for a pepperoni pizza or deluxe with 4 drinks and 30 tokens. We used 4 coupons so it only cost us $109.52 which saved us $115.92! That is a huge fucking difference and a huge rip off by Chucky Cheese.

So in closing, fuck Chucky Cheese and their parties which are a huge rip off and their new shitty policy. I would still go for a family outing with coupons but no more parties!! Stay away if you are planning a party so you aren't making a huge mistake like what could have happened to us. I'm just glad things worked out and we didn't get fuck with a huge bill. The staff obviously didn't care or they would have noticed the same email address on the coupons and could have told us no. Just stay away unless you can afford the $225.44 which I'm sure you could plan for much less with better pizza!!!

Busy June 22nd

Well yesterday was a busy day at our home. We had a graduation ceremony at 1pm for Zoey at her school. She walked in with her class and was wearing a little cap and sat down. The two SK classes each did their own acts and songs on stage. Then the teachers presented each student with their certificate for graduating kindergarten. After they had cake and snacks for the parents and students. We are very proud of Zoey and can't believe she is going into grade 1!

Later in the evening they had eye appointments and both had excellent vision which they get from me! No issues but the doctor did say Zoey was a little far sighted so we will watch that each time she goes to check her eyes. After we sped off to Chucky Cheese for Hailey's birthday party. We had coupons which was great and saved us alot of money and the kids that came had a great time playing games and eating pizza. Hailey got some nice gifts and really enjoyed her new dresses.

All in all a busy day but well worth it.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Zoey

Well it is about time I talked about Zoey! The oldest and boldest. I really mean that. Today I caught her looking at some XXX DVD's which I got from work and was going to give them to my neighbour. They were in a Walmart bag and she thought it was movies for her. Not what I wanted her to see but I don't think it really sunk in. I asked her what they were and she told me movies and I asked her what kind and she said " I'm not sure dad...lady movies?" I told her they were for older people and that she shouldn't be looking at them. She handed them back to me and went on playing with her Furr Real pet.

Hopefully I dodged a bullet! She is very smart and we are proud of her because on Tuesday she will be graduating Senior Kindergarten and moving into grade 1!! She will get her grad gift which is a skateboard. We also bought knee and wrist guards for her becasue I know she will be falling. We can't wait to see her with her little cap they made for the ceremony. Next year will be a big year for her going everyday and also Hailey will be starting Junior Kindergarten. I can't believe they are growing up quicker than I thought. It will be weird to have the house to myself or ourselves if Nicole is working afternoons. It is time to enjoy the summer and having them around for the next 2 months. I'm sure we will have alot of fun.

Hailey

Well on Tuesday Hailey will be 4 and we had a family party for her on Saturday. We went to my moms to go swimming because it was so humid and they girls had loads of fun. The water wasn't all that warm however! I BBQ'd some burgers and sausages. The best sausages I have come across are from the Great Canadian Meat Company. They are $20 for a pack of 30 and are quite large. They also sell buns because any other bun you buy will be too small and the sausage will stick out either end.

Anyway, she is going through a phase where she likes Polly Pocket, Furr Real Pets and Zhu Zhu Pets. I am all for that because she likes things that aren't too pricey. They really enjoy playing with them and we have found that Toys R Us have the best selection and currently the best price. She got some clothes and we gave her a new fishing pole. She wants to go fishing and I am all for that. I miss fishing and don't get to go out too much. She also got some new lures to go in her tackle box. I'm hoping to maybe get out on Monday when we head to Peterborough to see dad and give him his fathers day gift. Maybe we will stop on the river for a fish or see if we can scam Adam for a ride in the boat!!

All in all she had alot of fun and we get to have another party at Chucky Cheese for her friends and neighbours on Tuesday! Worth doing is signing up on the Chucky Cheese website to the fan club and you get coupons every month or two which are better than the ones that come in the mail. They will come in handy on Tuesady!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Begin

Well I don't know where to begin but there is alot to cover. I'll begin with the basics. Having kids! It is all an experience having a baby and going through everything with your wife. The sex can be really hot and amazing or in some cases non existing. It just depends on the woman. I was lucky. You always hear about no sleep and changing diapers and all the puking. Let me tell you. You will lose sleep and smell things that turn your stomach and might make you puke!

The one thing to remember is that it is all worth it and you will love every moment althought you might not realize it right away. You might feel that it is alot and it is having a child but in the end you are the only one who will protect, love, feed, clothe and really love that child the way it should be loved.

Having daughters is my life and I love it.