More Holiday Pictures!

Here's a bunch of pictures from this past week. My brother, James, made it up from Calgary on Christmas Day.


Jason's cousin and his 2 girls drove down from Bonneyville for Boxing Day... They had a great time playing with the kids!

Recent photos...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Low res pics of the house

We still haven't found our regular digital camera... So I've only got a few bad quality ones which I took with our 2MP that we bought 4yrs ago! Here are a few pics from inside the house...

Handmade Bunk Beds

Grandpa and Grandma, in Manitoba, have been very busy building and staining the new bunk beds for the kids! They'll be driving it out, when they come to visit us next week for Christmas! Here are some pictures of how they're looking! The kids are super excited to get into them :)

Updates....

Thought I should post, since it's been a while....

The weather has finally softened up a bit- literally. The snow is not so dry and crunchy, but the roads are now quite slushy. I think we were up to 1C today! Jason convinced me to go out with him and the kids tonight for a sleigh ride. We took a very difficult "path" through the school/park fields behind our complex... The snow was literally up to my knees, and my legs were burning as I pushed through the snow. I was having flash-backs from my childhood... When I would be walking to school in terrible winter weather. I would just sit on the snowbank and hope some kind soul would pick me up and drive me to school! LOL Only this time, I was hoping for a helicopter, b/c we weren't on the road or any path! lol Then of course, my bladder was in desperate need of relieving. At the risk of giving too much information, I wasn't sure whether my relief (in making it to the washroom) came from sitting or peeing! lol

It's starting to feel more and more like our house, the longer we're living here. We're always trying to think of ways to maximize space and renovate. There are SO many things we'd like to do here, but of course, it all takes money! The kitchen is in desperate need of a makeover. We'd like to smash out a wall, redo the cabinets and cupboards, then the floors would have to get done as well. We do need a range hood- that much is necessary. The basement isn't finished, so we're hoping to put up some walls and make a rec room and spare room eventually. The list goes on and on...

I'm feeling SO uncomfortable lately. It's like this baby doubled it's weight overnight. Sleeping is getting more difficult, as every movement is a real chore. I've been having terrible muscle spasms in my thighs, calves and feet. I think the hardest part is having to carry Kieran, whether it's in and out of the car, at the supermarket or up stairs... It's just painful. He doesn't understand, and just wants to cuddle with my pony-tail! lol He's throwing some wicked tantrums in the stores now, when he's confined in the shopping cart. That's been very stressful- especially when people stare and make little comments or "jokes" about what unhappy little boy he is. It takes every bit of restraint in me, not to throw a loaf of bread at their heads!! Sounds funny now, but let me assure you, the aggrivation is real at the time of Kieran's shrieking tantrum!!

Anyway, Jason's needing the computer for work. We haven't got the main pc hooked up yet, and are using only the laptop still.... I'll post soon! Still haven't located our camera... hope it's in one of the boxes we haven't emptied yet... Not holding out much hope, though :(

Windchill Warning!

Weather Forecast for Tuesday November 28, 2006.

Currently
Observed at: Edmonton City Centre Airport 28 November 2006 10:00 AM MST
Sunny
Sunny

Temperature
-28°C
Pressure/ Tendency
103.2 kPa↑
Visibility
15 km
Humidity
57 %
Wind Chill
-41
Dewpoint
-34°C
Wind
WNW 21 km/h

Ward of the Crown Documentary... bit of a rant

I watched the last half a documentary on CBC NewsWorld this morning... It was called
"Ward of the Crown"

I only saw the tail end of it, but since I've worked in the social service system, group homes etc., having dealt with kids just like the ones in the film... It struck up some old frustrations and feelings. There are SO many flaws and imperfections in the social service system.. known to many as CAS (Children's Aid Society). I've worked for both the regular CAS in Ontario, and the CCAS (Catholice CAS). It's like running in a hampster wheel and getting nowhwere. You feel like you're simply warehousing these kids until they are no longer the legal responsibility of the government. Then the kids simply become part of the judicial system... Pass the buck...

I agree the system sucks. It really sucks. But the reality is, there are SO MANY kids in care that it's extremely difficult to provide a nurturing environment for them... One that they should have, and don't. One of the kids in the doc said that "love is inappropriate in a group home", when commenting on lack of hugs/affection that she received.... I totally see where she's going, but as a CYW (Child & Youth Worker), we are constantly told to cover our asses. A simple hug for a youth in care, could mean an investigation of sexual harrassment or inappropriateness, which could promptly end your career forever. Plus, some of those kids are there for sexual issues. I found myself feeling very defensive of group homes- or at least group home staff. We are working in a house, which is supposed to model somewhat of a family environment. However, there are people switching shifts every 8-12 hrs, staff and residents changeover constantly... Not to mention up to 10 kids living in one house. Of course, some sort of institution-like routine has to take place to manage this dynamic. Kids don't get the 1:1 they need. Staff aren't just there for the kids, but we are responsible for laundry, cooking, cleaning, paperwork... It's not ideal, but it's a reality. I believe there are lots of great youth workers in group homes... doing the best they can in the system they work in. There are also lots of really strung out ones, that have lost their passion and faith in kids. I was one of those by the time I finished working as a CYW. It took me a long time to be able to admit that openly. I felt like I had failed in my chosen field, and as a person. This job has a burnout rate of 4 yrs! With good reason, too. It's a poor paying job, with minimal rewards. I don't plan to return to working group homes. I have a family, and being away for up to 14 hrs a day, is too much. Why should my kids suffer? Who am I helping?

What really angered me about the documentary, was that barely ANY ownership for all these social problems, was put upon the parents who have failed their own children. One of the girls signed herself out of care at 16, with her bio. mother's encouragement. My pessimistic outlook on the situation, immediately told me this wasn't going to work... This girl wouldn't go to school as she stated, and mum wasn't going to be a good support for her. Her mother was doing crack, the girl was taking off for days at a time... and even got pregnant. She miscarried, but was excited at the prospect of having this baby to "love her". A common misconception of teenage girls. She also saw it as a way to get services from the system again!

All too often, the choice to give up your kids and wash your hands of them, is granted. Why aren't these parents held accountable for abandoning their kids??? The system is left to clean up a HUGE mess, and takes the fall for the all the bad things that happen to these kids throughout their lives. Yes, many social workers make poor placement and treatment decisions. I don't know what the solution is. In an ideal world, I'd like to lock up these parents who abuse and neglect their children.

Foster parents get a bad rap too. The kids complain about being moved around. Which truly is unfair. They need stability in their lives... I completely agree!! However, these are people who are opening up their homes and lives to help kids who have been failed by their own parents (in most cases). I hold foster parents in high regard. I could never do the job. Many of these kids who come into foster homes have severe issues. It's hard to have that around your family and home 24-7... regardless of how unfortunate it is for the kids. Imagine having a teenage girl in your home, who cuts her wrists/legs or whatever... using shards from cds, combs, hairpins... And, having your own kids seeing this- how hard would that be? I don't deny the girl is in desperate need of help, attention and nurturing. There are bad foster homes out there, just like bad bio. homes. However, without these people, MANY kids would have no choice but to live an institutional life in a group home... or worse, be left in the abusive environment where they came from.

That's my rant on this issue. I flip back and forth on this coin. It's a difficult problem, with few available solutions. The government doesn't spend enough time or money on prevention. Each of these kids in a group home, is costing the CAS approx. $250-350/day!!! EACH KID! That's a lot of money. It needs to be better spent, so that the group home step doesn't need to be taken....

BRRRRR

Today we are sitting at a windchill temp of -32C!! That's 25F... BRRRRR

Jason called this morning, to say he had locked the keys in the van, after arriving at work. So, I had to load the kids up and take them all the way to the west end of the city. I didn't have the car out at all yesterday, so it was covered in snow. I don't know how much, but it was a lot. Plus, the wind was whipping all the dry snow back in my face. My winter coat may as well be made of mesh, b/c I could feel the wind whipping through right through it!!! CoLD. Man, that's a long drive. It's only about 22km, but with these roads being so horrible, it took a really long time. I have a longer distance to drive to the hospital when this baby decides to come in January! :( I am a bit freaked about that...

After dropping off a key for Jason, I took the kids to McD's to play in the playland. They had a good time, and burned off some energy. Fiona was excellent. She listened and left the park when asked once! Kieran fell asleep on the drive home... I was going to stop at the store and get bread and fabric softner... But decided just to get the kids home and get Kieran off to bed for a nap. I even got to have a shower :) THe pressure in our shower is really strong. I don't dare complain, but it's quite loud and it backs on to Kieran's room. So, when I got out of the shower, I could hear Kieran crying... Poor kid.

Jason got some curtains up last night, to keep the draft off the windows. The curtains in our living room are now too short, but they'll be great for our window in our bedroom. Jason also sealed up the huge window by the front door. What a difference that has made! Slowly, but surely, it's starting to look more and more like our place. This weekend, we'll be busy finishing up at the other house. The guys have been smoking their brains out while we've been gone, so it stinks. Jason was sure to get all our clothes and towels out, so they wouldn't stink so bad...

Well, I've blabbed on enough...

Settling In... No Pics yet...

Hello everyone. Thought I'd post really fast, and update you all on our new house and move....

We are now in our new house! We're still emptying out of the duplex we were living in. It's hard to sort, clean and pack up with 2 kids running around. I tried today, and it was very difficult! There's so much stuff at our new place (thank God we have a basement), but there still is much left to bring over! ugh...

Thanks to my brother Shaun, and his girlfriend Cathy... and a coworker of Jason's... we were able to do the move without too much strain. I wasn't any help. I was on kid detail... 7 mos pregnant and all! Thanks again to our helpers!! :)

The new house is great. We've got a running list of things we need to do, want to do and would eventually like to do... A few priorities include ridding the basement of the kitty piss smell! GRrrrr... Just ONE of the reasons I will never own a cat! Another, is scrubbing down the walls in our bedroom and the downstairs washroom. It seems the previous owner locked herself in these 2 rooms for 16 years and supported the tobacco industry! ICK! The smell is only noticeable in the bathroom, thank GOD! I would like to paint our bedroom... preferably a dark earthy green... like sage or olive. Ideally, I'd like to paint the other 2 bedrooms, too! Of course, those aren't as big on the priority list.

IT's great having sooooo much more space, multiple levels/floors and NO ONE below or above us! The carpets are all new, as are the windows. We'll need some curtains and blinds... but we'll get to those eventually ;)

All in all... we're doing great, and loving that we own a house. I'll post pics as soon as we figure out where our camera is!!

Jason and Fiona surprised me tonight, while I was out for groceries at Costco... They put up the Christmas tree! We'll decorate tomorrow. I'm excited to put up lights on the house, too! :)

Enough for now... Hope everyone is well. Our phone is hooked up now, effective today... and it's the SAME number! If you need our new address, email me.

Take care!
Katrina

Finally Have Posession!

We were supposed to get posession yesterday, but there were some problems with the bank money etc. What a mess! Apparently, our bank sent the money last week, but the Lawyer's bank didn't receive it. I found out about this problem yesterday morning. Long story short, since the funds didn't arrive before the lawyer's offices closed (and realtors could be contacted), we couldn't close the sale until today! Grrr..> What a nightmare.

We meet our realtor at OUR house at 4pm today to get the keys! Finally!!! Very exciting. I'll try to post pics asap... Our main computer is down, so I'm using our laptop at the moment!

Tunnels of Boxes!

In preparation for our move, we have loads of empty boxes laying around. Jason decided to make 'tunnels' for the kids to burrow in... They love it!

Noodles For Lunch!

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These pictures were taken today at lunchtime... Kieran got to try his hands at chopsticks for the first time! Fiona tried out her Chinese dish set, that one of Jason's students (in China) gave him for our baby that we were expecting... 4 years ago!

Winding up... or down...

With our upcoming move, Jason is thinking about dismantling the computer this weekend and using the laptop for the remainder of the week. So, my blog activity will probably drop considerably! We get posession on Nov 15, but have a moving truck booked for the 18th. Hopefully, we can get the majority of our stuff moved over and use the remaining 2 wks at this place, cleaning. I'm not looking forward to any of the move really. I won't be doing the physical labour, but it's all so arduous! ugh.

We're spending today and tomorrow packing and getting laundry caught up. Might as well do as much as we can here, since the utilities are included!

We're getting very excited!!!

My "Corporate Trainer"

Thanks to the AWW Paparazi...

Here's a picture, taken today, of Jason at work in his office! I haven't even been inside the building where he works, due to security etc.

Jason's formal title, is Corporate Trainer. They've never had an ESL teacher on staff before, so classifying his position was a little difficult.

No news really...

I felt like I should post something. I haven't got anything new to report on our lives... or new pictures! I've been really lazy about that.... I do keep the flogs up to date, though! When I changed my template, I lost all my links that used to be at the side! Grrrr I'm very much a point and click computer user, so all that HTML stuff is foreign to me! I'm surprised I got it there in the first place! Now, I have to figure it out again... when I've got more time, of course! I'm still figuring out when I'm going to get my Christmas cards made up! I have all these stamps and paper ready for making them, but with the move and packing.. it's been hard to find the time and space! On our moving date, the lady who sells Stampin' Up (cori), is having an all day stamp-a-thon at her house... called PMS (Pizza, Music & Stamping)! I can't go, b/c that is the day we have our moving truck booked :( *sniff* *sniff*

Erin just left. She brought the girls over, and came with Starbucks coffee (gingerbread latte..mmm ... decaf of course), and hot chocolate for Fiona. That was great. I was rotting the day away in the house, and it was good having some company, and motivation to get dressed (and tidy up a bit)!

My friend, Erica (in Kitchener), had her 2nd baby last week. She gave birth to a boy, named Lucas Peter Roden. He was just over 7lbs, and sounds like her labour was less than 3 hrs once the contractions were 5 mins apart! Lucky girl!! Erica was at my wedding for those of you who were there.. She and I went to school together since grade 5!!

Fiona's doing her independant time right now, but just came out stomping and demanding that she come out right away. This of course, woke her brother up! That drives me nuts when she pulls those stunts! Her favourite thing to do, is stomp and kick the doors/walls, as she knows we have to address it (b/c there are people living downstairs)! Grrr...

Speaking of downstairs tennants... Have i mentioned how HAPPY I will be once we leave this place and don't have to deal with this crap ever again?!?!?!?!? Well, I'm ecstatic! Those guys down there right now, are the most inconsiderate jerks ever! They've been smoking INSIDE the house again... I complained to our landlady, and she left a note on their door. Well, didn't that send them into a payback mode! The one guy banged on Fiona's floor 2 times last night while Jason was playing guitar to help her get to sleep (we're talking Leonard Cohen.. not KISS!). Jason went down to ask what the problem was, and his reply was that he was fixing something. Pft.. whatever. This morning, they made strong efforts to slam every door and cupboard they could, while getting ready for work at 5:30am! When they came up the stairs to the door (which is super loud, nevermind when they're being jerks), they stomped their boots on, and slammed both doors so hard the house shook! At that moment, I fantasized about causing serious harm to their heads! Then Kieran woke up... I guess they accomplished their mission. Bastards. *deep breaths* We get posession next week... ahhhhhh.....

New Template

To commemorate the untimely arrival of winter (bleh)... I decided to go with a more frosty colour scheme! :)

Waiting for Possession...

We met with the lawyer on Friday... and signed the rest of our savings away! Apparently, the ID we provided (birth cert and driver's lic.) weren't sufficient... Not sure why the lawyer didn't know that when he took them from us to photocopy! His assistant emailed me, asking for us to fax either a credit card or our SIN cards to her as our 2nd piece. The licence was acceptable as one of the two...

That aside, we just wait to hear from our realtor for a time on Nov 15 to pick up the keys to our new house!!! Very exciting.

Our landlord has shown our apt to about 6 potential renters. Hopefully, someone will take it soon, so we don't have to have more people through the house. She was asked if she was going to repaint, and she said no... Which is rediculous, b/c it wasn't painted before we moved in 2yrs ago. Jason also thinks he overheard her stating the rent to be $105/mo over what we're paying now.. which doesn't surprise me. Thank God we're not renting anymore.

Cute Pictures

Kiddie Pictures

I just had to post these.... I have a daily limit on fotolog, so here they are on my blog! :)

Kieran ready for an outdoor excursion!














Another winter pic...



















Funny faces...















Little Tula (almost 8 mos old)... A little bit of Yoda, and a little bit of Cabbage Patch Doll! :)














Fiona checking her threads at West Edm Mall...

Cool costume

I had trouble posting all the pics I wanted for halloween night... Here's the transformer costume I was talking about! I loved it!















Jason was Nemo... Here's the pic of him... La Senza Girl! LOL He turned lots of heads!

Halloween @ West Edmonton Mall

It's snowy, windy and cold today. Not the ideal weather for trick-or-treating! Last night, we decided we were going to take the kids to West Edm Mall, instead of braving the cold for candy! I took the kids and got there just after 4pm. Some stores were already giving out candy! Score! The quicker we get done, the quicker we can get home! LOL Jason met us after he was off work, at 5pm. He lucked into wearing the Nemo costume that Bobbie (my MIL) made for Kieran. Kieran opted for the comfy pumpkin costume. I guess Mum got to be a caddy? I pushed the stroller. When we arrived, kids were trick-or-treating, but it wasn't too busy... Then the madness started! By 6pm it was like shopping the last week before Christmas! Insane. Kids running around high on sugar, stressed out parents, strollers GALORE! Here are some pics of the kids, and a neat transformer costume we saw!

Fiona's Birthday Party

Happy Birthday Fiona! (well... almost!)

We had Fiona's party today... She'll be 4 on Monday! I can't believe that much time has passed since she was born! We invited her friends, Maysa, Dakota, Tiana & Abe over. We had a Little Mermaid cake (which Mum modified from a Nemo cake)! Here are an assortment of photos!

Mortgage is a go!

All we have left to do to make our home purchase official, is sign the legal papers at the lawyer's office next week!!!! Yipee! Our mortgage instructions were sent to the lawyer yesterday, and it's practically a done deal! I can't wait to be in our own house! No one downstairs, no one upstairs. No one can tell me what I can and cannot do to my house! I can add walls, tear them down, lay carpet, rip up carpet!!! Ahhh... finally! Things are going to be ultra tight (financially), but I know it will all be worth it! Now I have to worry about which hospital I'll be delivering at, and whether to bother with a new OBGYN! Ugh... I'd really prefer to go to my usual hospital (Grey Nuns), as I'm familiar and like it there! I also really like my OB!

So, that's our latest news!! :)

Crazy Few Weeks!

My posts have dropped off considerably! We've been very busy the past few weeks! My mother came to visit from New Brunswick on October 8, in time for Thanksgiving. So, we hosted Thanksgiving supper at our house. That was the first day I started feeling terrible. I got some sort of cold or flu. Not that it matters which, because I couldn't take medicine to help me feel better! I didn't have a bacterial infection, so no prescription for me :( That cold lasted for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!! It was great having my mother here to help me out, as I was a total mess. Jason was super busy the first week she was here, with the ATESL conference, so we barely saw one another. It's a miracle no one got what I had! On the other hand, it was sucky that I was so sick during the time my mum was here. I had hoped to get more done around the house, and to get out more with her and the kids! *sigh* Oh well... Mum's off to Calgary now, to visit with my 2 brothers who live there. Mum is taking the boys to Banff today... they get to stay at the Banff Springs Hotel, since James works for Delta, he gets a super cheap rate!! Lucky buggars... Here's a pic of the hotel- no airbrushing folks, Banff really is that scenic!


I had another visitor recently as well. One of my best friends from highschool, came to visit from Toronto! Sarah had a conference in Banff. How nice is that?! Is was great getting to spend time with her. I hadn't seen her since Fiona was 18mos! Insane. We spent the WHOLE of Saturday at West Edmonton Mall, as she's never been there or to Edmonton! The mall itself spans 48 city blocks, and is the largest shopping centre in the WORLD! There's an amusement park, sea lion shows, huge water park etc... That was exhausting- but fun ;)

We're in the process of trying to clean the house for viewings (possible renters), and packing things up that we don't need for the next month or so. It's going to be a big chore! Hopefully, we can recruit my brother from Calgary to help Jason move furniture! I will be of no use in that department! I'm already 26 wks along, and boy am I feeling it these days!

Well... I should try to get some packing done while Kieran is napping! Thought I'd update everyone on what we've been up to!

Take care!