well my dear...

i was rinsing some dishes for the dishwasher & i've been getting a little annoyed that the right sink drains so slow...

so i finished loading the dishwasher and decided to clean out the drain.

I know baking soda and vinegar works on slight clogs so i tried to see if there were any chunks in the way... 

thus began my adventure.

*i did bs&v after my adventure*

i used kabob skewers down into the drain to pick at stuff...

and realized there was something i couldn't grab.  

so i opened the cupboard and undid the top of the black pipe connecting to the sink drain.

i found a popsicle stick covered in grossness.

then i decided to check out the other direction.

i stuck the skewers down into the black pipe.  then i got a fork because there was a lot of gunk.

finally i decided to just take that whole section off.

i undid the part connecting to the T and s l o w l y pulled it off.

what did i see?

the bum of a waterlogged mouse! 

i tried to shake it out.

no go.

i tried the fork...

sliced in half!

so gross.

but i got it out.

the drain now drains happily.

that was disgusting .

i wanted to vomit.

*the above was the note i left for my husband to read this morning at 5:30am*

School Days round two: JK edition *part 2

the last time i wrote to you about my current Junior Kindergartener was HERE.

well.  

there are only 23 days left of school in this year.

i figured i should fill you in on her year so far.

My girl.

she could not wait to be 5 so she could by in JK.

she loves school.

two weeks ago, or so, her teacher and i were talking.

"it is so great to see how energetic and confident she is now."

my girl now walks into class excited to be there.

it didn't start out that way.

she used to miss me and lammie .

every day.  

every single day. 

i would receive a picture or card or gift that she made me.

because she missed me.

she became very good at spelling mommy.

she wrote i miss you mommy...or i love you mommy...

or would draw a picture of me and her.

then they became all about lammie.

(lammie is her stuffie that she has had since birth)

there would be tears in her eyes as the bus pulled up.

i would give her a huge hug and try to encourage her brother to let her have the window on the way to school...

he liked the window, she usually had to lean over him.

waving and near tears.

blowing kisses.

sometimes getting off the bus and crying because she missed me.

i was only sending her 3 days a week.

monday.

wednesday.

friday.

now.

she comes home and shares about her friends.

she tells me stories that happened at school.

but.

each morning.

as the bus is pulling up.

she runs to me.

"mommy...pray!"

I help her with her bag and thank God for this new day

and ask Him...

"please help my girl to remember that when she is afraid..."

she then finishes off the verse and prayer.

"i can trust in YOU!"

points high into the sky.

we hug.

and give kisses.

then she walks to the bus.

we still wave at each other as the bus drives away.

and blow kisses.

i do know she loves her teacher.

she loves to learn.

she is making friends.

my little girl is almost finished her first year of school.

23 days left in the school year...

but she will be going to 14 of them.

haha, this was us entertaining ourselves during a wedding reception recently.

my silly girl.

my big girl.

my 5 year old.

soon to be JK-no-more.

***

running selfies:

such a variety of temperatures in the month of april.

got to run the hunters bay trail with my hubby.

i hadn't eaten much that day, so didn't have a great run - but loved running with him.

we did some Tough Mudder training running through some flooded areas of the trail.

it's a snow day.

today's date is Tuesday April 15.

and the kids had a snow day!

that's right buses were cancelled.

that's right.

cancelled.

i woke up to fresh fallen snow outside.

another 5cm expected for the day.

whatever, 

i'm fine with a cancellation.

my husband told me the roads were quite slippery on the way to work this morn, 

so cancelled buses are fine.

yesterday it was raining.

snow was melting.

flooding was imminent in the area.

today it's covered with a beautiful white covering.

i guess i slept through the rest of spring, the whole of summer and fall.  

it's winter again.

Merry Christmas!

no, i don't have a photo of the snow.

i just didn't want to take a photo.

for real.

as i posted on facebook

my kids are very different in some of their likes and dislikes.

we had some prayer time this morning as they finished breakfast.

the girls prayer was something to the effect of 

"dear God, please help it be spring, soon!"

then there's our boy.

"dear God, thank you that there's more snow than yesterday."

he loves winter.

he was sad it began melting - - yet quite happy to play with boats in the large puddles.

our girl has been wearing shorts for over a month now.

*whenever we let her get away with it*

happy snow day.

see ya when it's spring again.

****

running selfies that have been waiting to be posted.

 

my little girl came out to greet me when i came home.  

my boy came out to greet me this time.

actually both did, but i got a photo with him since i had one with my girl the previous run day.

Last night i finally registered us for the Band on the Run.

Husband: half-marathon.

Me: 10K

the boy: 1K

my girl is a little too little still.   

next year.

still winter

the date: Wednesday March 26 2014.

the temperature: -5*C in the sun.  that sun is a trickster.  

when i woke this morning the voice on the radio said it was -22*C

we received more snow yesterday.

i don't shovel anymore.

we haven't for a few weeks now.   

except for when we needed to clear a parking spot for my parents - in an area that no one had parked all winter.  

the sides of the parking spot were taller than the car.

i woke up saturday planning to run 11K.

i looked out the window.

overcast and snowing.  

*sigh*shoulder slump*

i couldn't do it.

i ran on sunday instead.

bright sunshine, had the best run all year so far.  and the farthest.

then the temps dropped again.

like i said earlier...

it snowed yesterday.

beautiful large snowflakes.

but the fact that it was snowing was the problem.

no matter how beautiful they were, they were coming at the end of march.

we've had snow since our first snowfall at the beginning of November.

we've had a lot of snow.

it has been bitter cold or snowing.

it's been a long winter.

my cat wants to go out when the sun is shining through the window.

then i open the door and he gets this confused look and turns and walks away - "not yet"

the sun is shining more.

i've been listening to the birds singing more often, and hear them playing in the branches.

that first robin i have not seen though.

less layers are needed most days.

i have tried to not complain about the winter.

it is a blessing having the 4 seasons to enjoy.

i am thankful for where i live, knowing full well that winter is a part of it, a huge part of it.

we have a ski hill 15 minutes away, we need winter here.

but we are primarily cottage country... we need summer too.

this has been a long winter for those whose employment is geared to no snow.

i just want spring.

i want to wear my birks...without freezing my piggies off.

i laughed the other day because i walked into the house and had muddy shoes...

i had mud on my shoes

not snow!

then it snowed again.

i can feel the warmth of the sun.

i know it is slowly beginning to feel like the beginning of spring.

i watch the icicles melt.

then reform overnight.

i see our canoe that got crushed by the amount of snow we received, and am thankful it was the old, already patched one anyway.  but look longingly at the other one who stood the test of winter.

i love the sparkles of light on the snow...there's so much snow, they're everywhere.

we laugh that our girl walked over and picked off the icicle dripping into the rainbarrel...she walked on snow the same level as the top of the rainbarrel.

winter is beautiful. 

i am thankful for the winter memories i have from this long winter.

quinzee sleeping, the girl learning to ski, the boy snowboarding, sledding parties, skating, hiking out back, getting out to take frosty photos, skijoring lessons for the dog, watching the dog slide down the hill because he loves snow, running on the snowy days, and enjoying that they're not bitter cold.  being inside with the family on a bitter cold day watching a movie, eating popcorn, watching the kids play- even in the bitter cold - while waiting for the bus, and the temp, not affecting them, snow days.

spring is beautiful.

i'm ready to be barefoot outside again.

i'm ready to run on grass.

i'm ready to have a picnic outside without snowpants and mitts.

i'm ready for thunderstorms, and showers.

i'm ready for rain coats, spring jackets, rain boots.

i'm just ready.

***

running selfies:

*all photos taken by me

with Gertie

edited in photoshop elements