Wackies

Road Trip Post #1

2009-08-07T00:10:00.004-06:00

Well our road trip started with a journey to Jasper. Seeing as the hotels in the Jasper area were quite outrageous, we decided to camp out for the evening. When i say camping, just a tent and sleeping bags; no stove or food! Anyways, the night got a little chillier during the evening and we did not have a sleeping bag for Ethan (I only had a liner...what was I thinking). Anyways, in the morning, Ethan woke up with a very runny nose. To this date he is still has snot coming out of the nose!

Anyways, after we pack up, we went for a leisurely stroll on the paddleboats at Jasper Park Lodge. This was Ethan's first time on one and it seemed like he enjoyed it. (Videos to follow). Once we finished we made our way to Kamloops, BC where we met up with some friends and stayed the night. Since it was 37 degrees out, we decided to hit the pool and then enjoy some food (BP's feeds your kids for free if you purchase a meal over $10!).

The next day we we're off to Vancouver on a very quick drive through the Coquihalla Highway. we were flying on the #5 until we hit the Trans Canada where things slowed down considerably. Nonetheless, we made it in good time.

While in Vancouver, we met up with friends and ate, went walking in the parks and playgrounds, walked along 4th Ave, and Granville Island. We did not cook at home until tonight when it finally cooled down enough inside the condo to actually use the stove and oven.

Ethan has been cranky the past week. I don't blame him as he does not have his own bed to sleep in. So far since we have left Edmonton, he has not slept in a playpen. he has been sleeping with me or Wackie on the bed. In Vancouver, he's been sleeping only with mommy since the bed is not big enough for the three of us! He has also been constipated for the past week and has only passed three times! we have been trying to get him to drink prune juice which is helping a bit. Hopefully he gets better so he is in a better mood...

As for me, we started the WPFG and we are 3-1 in football. We are seeded 4th and will be playing the quarter finals tomorrow. If we win, we move on otherwise we are out! Lot of injuries on the team so hopefully we can stick it out for a few more games.

We will be heading to Seattle on Sunday (the lastest) and I booked a hotel for $80 via Priceline. It is the hotel across from Safeco Field and the pool is on the top of the hotel overlooking the city and Safeco. Sweet! Will be looking into hotels for Portland and Spokane soon!

Well that's about it for now! Catch you up later!

Very Eventful May

2009-06-01T23:29:00.003-06:00

We had such a busy May that I am not surprised we are already into June. May started off with a trip down to Calgary to visit friends and a day out with Thomas the train. We had a lot of fun hanging out at Heritage Park. We got to meet Sir Topham Hat and Thomas! We even got to ride in the train that Thomas pulled. It was great! The park was busy with lots of little boys and the few sisters that got dragged along :) Ethan had a great time playing with all the different trains and watching Thomas go by. His love for Thomas has grown since our visit, and now so has his collection...
Wackie and I then headed out to Vancouver for a retreat for a weekend, and the best part was meeting up with family and spending Mother's Day with Mom eating at a all you can eat Japanese resturant. We ate till we were full! Ethan stayed over at Grandma and Grandpa's house and did really well. I think the Grandparents needed a good break after that weekend though. He is one busy boy.
We then had my cousins come out for a visit and it was great spending time with them. The 2 little boys spent an afternoon at Galaxyland and I think they both quite enjoyed each other's company.
My Dad also turned 60 years old this past month, so a dinner out for steak was the way we celebrated. Happy Birthday Dad!
It was also Ethan's debut as a ring bearer for our friend's wedding. Below is a very blurry choppy video of him walking down, but it tells you how it went.

He didn't make it down the asile. He did great at rehersal, but I guess there weren't 400 people watching him. There was point down the asile that I had him in the air pretending to walk, but that didn't last. At least no one will ever forget that part of the wedding...
Finally, we have been spending our sunny warm days outside. We have gone on many walks around the neigbourhood and to the dog park. We've bought Ethan a little picnic table so that he can sit outside and of course brought out the little pool which he loves splashing around in. I see a summer full of backyard playing and to the parks. Bring out the sunscreen!

Sick! Blah...

2009-04-23T21:55:00.002-06:00

What a week, and it's still going...

It all started early last week when I first started noticing that my throat was starting to hurt. Then my nose was running and then it hit, a head/sinus cold. The worst part of it all was that I needed to be at work as my partner was off and I had to be there to do some corporate teachings for the organization. By the time Wednesday hit, I was hit hard with the cold and I knew I had to do a full day of teaching. So thinking that I needed to be alert and somewhat presentable, I decided to take 2 of my sinus pills. As I swallowed my 2nd pill, it dawned on me that I just took the wrong pills. Instead of taking my blue color daytime sinus pills I took the white color night time pills! There was nothing I could do, it was done and down the tube. I arrived at work at about 7:30am and knew the drug had not affected me yet. As I got ready for my day, I started walking towards the Auditorium when I noticed that my legs started to feel like jello, then the hallway started to "move" and I could not walk in a straight line. I made it there and set up what I needed to do with a lot of effort. I made it then to my Administrator's office and sat down hard. Asking me what was wrong, I told them my mistake I made that morning with the pills and they were quite concerned. (I forgot to mention that I had already written a quick e-mail to the pharmacy group explaining my situation and if I could do anything or take anything to retro act my handy work) It's great having fellow managers that are either nurses or doctors. They first scolded me for even taking 2 pills since I'm not a very big person (even though I told them that the only reason I took 2 was because in my head, I knew I needed to be alert) then thought of what I could do. They decided that the best thing I could do was first, eat, then down a coke (not diet), to get the caffeine and sugar in my system. Well, it somewhat worked. I managed, though I'm afraid I may not have made too much sense nor would I ever say that was my best teaching presentation ever. The drugs did start wearing out at about 1pm, but by then, I was too afraid to take my day time pills in case something else goes wrong.
I'm getting better now, but Ethan got what I got which started last Friday for him. Poor guy, we can't give him anything for his cold so a lot of "Puffs" and Q-tips. He's slowly getting over it as well. I just can't believe that Wackie never caught it, but probably because he's on shift work.
Now if I could only get some solid sleep while I'm on-call...5 more days...

Happy April Fools Day!

2009-04-01T15:02:00.005-06:00

Yes, it's April's Fools Day today and I can't think of any funny tricks to play on anyone... though I'll always remember the time a classmate of mine played a huge trick on me in University. We had worked together on a group project for one of our classes and had at that time, already submitted it in. At the start of the class, my classmate asked if I received the e-mail from the prof indicating that he needed to talk to us after class that day. Having not received it, ,my classmate went on to say that it had to do with the part of the project that I did... none the less, I was nervous and panicking all class. After class, as I prepared to go down to meet with the prof, my classmate turned to me and said, "Happy April Fool's Day!" Oh I was so mad, but more mad that I even fell for it! Don't worry, I laughed it off, gave him a huge punch and to this day, remember it as one of the best April Fools tricked played on me.

Anyway, time has sure been flying and our family has been busy with birthday parties, 1 Month celebrations, get together, work conferences and family time out. Ethan has been learning new words almost every week and has quite a few words under his belt now, though he may not share with you all of them, he'll blurt them out here and there. His new phase of things right now is "Fish" to say and see. We visit pet stores so that he can look at the fish, or hit up WEM to see the Koi fish by T&T or the big aquarium by the ice rink. We'll probably get his own fish soon, but not quite yet. He has grown taller as well, as he can now easily dunk his basketball in his basketball hoop in the basement. When we first set it up only a month ago, he struggled to get it over the hoop, but now, it's not a problem. He has also mastered climbing up on furniture and is quick in climbing anything he can. We're looking forward to warmer weather so that we can explore Edmonton's festivals and attractions. We also booked our tickets to see Thomas & Friends down in Calgary as Ethan knows and can pick out Thomas wherever we go. That will be fun, hopefully, it will be a nice day. We'll get to actually ride on Thomas and meet some of the other characters as well. Pretty exciting seeing that the whole exhibit and trains only travel to 3 cities in Canada.

Anyway, I better rest up a bit too as tonight is another dinner out for another baby's 1 Month celebration, and tonight, I'm on my own...

P.S. in a few months, we hope to share with you all some exciting news...

Remembering Dad

2009-02-23T00:50:00.002-07:00

I received a call from my mom on February 08, 2009 while I was in Calgary. She informed me that dad had passed away which was a great surprise to me. Even though he had gone through a stroke in 1998 and a lung cancer scare in 2002, things were going well for him. Needless to say, it was hard to hear it from my mom. Dad loved to listen to Chinese Opera and went quite often and this is where God decided to take him back to heaven.

On February 16, 2009 we laid dad to rest in Vancouver. It was a hard time leading up to the memorial but as the day approached God provided me with great peace as I read the eulogy. I am comforted in the fact that dad accepted Christ as his Saviour after he had his stroke in 1998. Dad had made a great impact in his family`s and friends life through his positive attitude. His laughter was loud and he laughed at almost anything (even though we may not have thought it was funny).

Thanks dad for all you have done for us to make our lives better! We love you and will miss you.

Your son

The Christmas Story

2008-12-26T18:49:00.006-07:00

From our family to yours, wishing you a Merry Christmas

Ethan and Kona by the Christmas tree

Ethan Christmas morning, having his toast by the Tree with all the presents still wrapped.

A Huge Thank You to all our family and friends who have spoiled Ethan once again this year.
Ethan will have so much fun playing with all his new toys, wearing his crazy cool new shoes and drinking from his way cool sippy cup. We promise he will share his toys with the other little ones.

Wishing you and your family and very Happy New Year!

Cheers to 2008! It has been a fantastic year.

Our first trip to the ER

2008-12-08T17:14:00.002-07:00

Well, it was bound to happen one day and it happened this weekend. Our very first trip to the ER! We were just getting ready to head out the door to go swimming at the Waterpark for Wackie's Christmas party and Ethan tripped. He had walked into the bathroom where I was getting ready and tripped on our bathmat. He fell and hit corner of our ceramic tile leaving a nice indent and gash on his forehead. He only cried for a short bit and stopped as soon as I picked him up. I decided to call Health Link just in case though he seemed okay beside the goose egg that came up very soon after his fall! Since it took so long to get through, we had already arrived at the Waterpark when I got through and the nurse advised me to take him to the ER due to that indent (soft head). So we turned around and headed to the ER. The nurse and doc was so nice there. We were there probably for only 10 minutes while everyone else had been waiting for a long time! It must of been Ethan's smiles and flirting nature to the nurses ;) They checked him out right away and sent us home. No stitches needed and the boy was happy to go to the Waterpark after all. I'm thinking this is not going to be the last trip out to the ER. He does not appear to be afraid of anything!

Owie!

Ethan had to put on a baby's hospital gown. It was so sad to see him wear it, but it was too cute to resist a picture.

Taking his First Steps

2008-11-03T13:22:00.005-07:00

Well, Ethan is getting a bit more mobile as he takes his first steps. Here he is at my work before going off to show of his Halloween costume.

And here we are. Paper Bag Princess and her Dragon! Now where is the Prince???

We Made It

2008-10-14T18:29:00.002-06:00

Today was my first day back to work after an entire year off on Mat. Leave. I had a very restless sleep waking up every hour since 1:00am. Thankfully, I did not have to drop Ethan off at the Day Home as Wackie works in the afternoon. Therefore, we can allow him to sleep till he wakes up on his own and feed him breakfast at home. Otherwise, he would be getting up at the crack of dawn with me so that I can make it to work on time.
My first day back at work was quite uneventful. I had 2 meetings in the morning that took up the entire morning, then a shopping trip out to Ikea with my co-worker to buy her a new desk as she will be relocating to a new office (otherwise there would be 3 of us in 1 office!). That was a nice ease into work. The next two days, I will be sitting on my butt listening and "learning" about managment things which somewhat doesn't apply as my role does not involve managing people...yet (still waiting for them to push that on me).
Anyway, when I picked up Ethan, he was very happy to see me and the drive home was plesant with no crying. Our Day Home lady said that he did well with little fussing. He even napped for 1.5 hours though she said he cried and fussed for a while first. He ate well, but didn't drink too much so when we got home, I fed him and he drank fast and long. Lets hope that he continues to do well at the Day Home.
I'm hoping for better sleep tonight as well.

Ethan's 1st Birthday

2008-10-09T13:17:00.003-06:00

Well, an entire year has gone by. Ethan has turned 1! It's crazy to think that a year ago, I was still in the hospital recovering and getting "use" to the whole new baby thing. The months of lack of sleep, the feedings, diaper changes, and all those discoveries. It has been fun, frustrating, tiring, exciting and so very cool. Maybe I'll consider doing it all over again...maybe :)
This will be our first Thanksgiving together at home since last year we spent it in the hospital. I'm sure Ethan will love chomping on some turkey and stuffing. He's getting better at eating non baby food, though he still tends to swallow the entire thing, rather than chewing on it for a bit. He loves feeding himself, which usually ends up really messy. Laundry has now doubled!
Since his whole milk allergy scare, I have slowly started introducing dairy to him to see if he has outgrown the allergy. So far he is good with yogurt. Next will be cheese and then milk. I sure hope he isn't truly allergic.
Anyway, I thought I add in our video of Ethan on his birthday at home. To all our family who were unable to be here in person.
And to everyone who has been so incredibly kind and generous in giving Ethan a birthday gift, a huge Thank You! He has so many new toys, clothes and books that we don't even know were to put everything.
Thanks again to everyone for all your prayers, support and help over the past year. We really look forward in watching Ethan continue to develop into a little boy.

No Needles Today

2008-10-02T23:53:00.003-06:00

Well, I had booked Ethan's 12 month shots 2 months in advance and had the date set for today. We arrived at the clinic and got measured and weighted. Ethan is still a "light weight" as he is 19.10lbs. He has not broken that 20lbs mark yet. He measures in at 28 1/4 inches. Hasn't grown in length too much since his 6 months check up :(
Anyway, as we sat waiting to be called, a nurse came and found us. Instead of inviting us to one of their rooms, she informs us that because Ethan is not exactly or past his 12 month, in "immunity world" (and yes, she said those exact words), he was unable to get his shots. Ethan is turning 1 in 3 days and they still would not do the shots. What a waste! They figured out that in their computer system, it allows the individual to book an appointment after a certain time after their previous shots (which works for other immunizations), but because this is his 12 month shot, apparently the system does not inform the reception person that it has to be on or after his birthday. So they are going to squeeze me in for this coming Monday, the day after this birthday... I think this is all just a little silly.
Anyway, on another note, it has been so nice out lately that Ethan and I have been spending most of our mornings outside on walks. We go walk through the parks and school yards so that Ethan can watch the big kids play. He loves the fall leaves blowing around and gets pretty excited when they are falling when we walk by them. He also likes pointing out trees for me to see. I hope he'll like trees and plants as much as I do.
Well, his big 1st Birthday party is coming up this weekend. We have been busy cleaning and preparing for all our friends and family to come help celebrate this big occasion. I have a feeling he's going to be pretty spoiled.

First Steps

2008-09-11T20:56:00.003-06:00

Wow, just yesterday I was walking behind him to slow down the pusher, today, he can do it on his own. This kid is ready to take his first steps on his own soon... he still needs to get more interested in walking. He can crawl fast so he doesn't really think he needs to learn to walk quite yet. But he's slowly learning to climb up furniture. He can already climb up the entire flight of stairs, but sill doesn't know the proper way or should I say, the safe way of getting down the stairs or off furniture. I guess one step at a time ;)

Almost Over...

2008-09-10T18:10:00.003-06:00

Wow, has a year really almost over?!? I can't believe that we're already in mid September and I'm in the mist of preparing and planning Ethan's 1st Birthday party. It's hard to know what theme to go with or what gift to buy and loop bags... so many kids! Birthday's are a lot of work for little ones. I just keep telling myself, just for his 1st Birthday than the rest we can do small family gatherings but we'll see if it ends up being another big one next year :)
We have visited the Day Home he will be going to next month and am please to see that he will be surrounded with friendly kids. I'm worried that he won't be napping at her house though since he hates change. I'm also worried that he won't wean fast enough, but I guess by then, he'll have no choice but to take what he is given.
I've been up lately at night just thinking about going back to work and leaving him at the Day Home. I'm so incredibly sad about leaving him and being apart from him for so many hours of the day. I don't know if I will be able to take it. I miss him even when I'm just thinking about it. If only I asked for a 0.4FTE position instead. ha ha ha. That would be so nice... oh well, we'll see how it goes.
Well, time to start packing for our last trip before I head back to work. To see grandparents in Toronto.

Mickey Mouse and Hurricane Fay

2008-08-23T13:40:00.004-06:00

Wow, can you believe we're almost done our Orlando trip?!? Has 10 days gone by already? Sheesh...
Well, we have had a packed 10 days anyways. We have visited both Universal Studios (I personally liked Island of Adventure better), Magic Kingdom (amazing fireworks), Hollywood Studios (great shows) and Animal Kingdom (one of the best). We still have 2 days left on our Disney Pass, but I think we're Disney'd out now.
As you may already know, Hurricane Fay is visiting Florida the same time we're here. She's not very nice and has really dampen (literally) our vacation. It has been raining off and on (from drizzling to pouring in a matter of seconds) since Monday. Since it has been raining so much, we haven't had a chance to visit any beaches and doesn't look like we will be able to by tomorrow (it's still raining), but we have managed to do A LOT of shopping :) We hit both Outlets (Prime and Premium), visited 2 Targets, 2 Marshalls, a few Wal-Marts and a Costco, oh and 2 Malls too. Whew... I'm not going to like my MC bill at the end of this month :( But none the less, great deals! I think Ethan got the most stuff though, can't wait to put on all his new cool clothes.
Anyway, we're now waiting for the rain to stop (which I don't think will happen anytime soon), so we better see what else we can do that is possibly indoors.

Climbing Stairs

2008-08-09T11:00:00.003-06:00

Well, it has been a fantastic week. Wackie's family came and had a short visit with us. We did the sites of Edmonton: Heritage Days, WEM, Southgate, and of course lots of good eats at home and out. Ethan was spoiled like crazy with new toys from his Auntie and Uncle that will keep him entertained for quite some time. Plus, he'll develop his musical skills (he got a xylophone and a piano). But Ethan was not the only one that got spoiled, both Wacky and Wackie got a brand new camera to replace their original SD100 camera. Now we can capture more of Ethan and not have to wait for the camera to cue up - thank goodness.
Well, Ethan continues to surprise us with all his new skills. Yesterday, while I went upstairs to grab stuff, Ethan decided it was time for him to climb the stairs. He managed to get halfway up our stairwell before he got bored. Crazy kid. Now we need to teach him how to go down the stairs safely. He still thinks he can go head first down anything including couches and beds. He'll be walking in no time...

Playing with his Thomas Ball

2008-07-22T15:52:00.005-06:00

Ethan's new favorite toy is his Thomas Ball that he got at his friend's Lucas' birthday party. He loves chasing this ball around and getting into all sorts of places. Unfortunately, Kona has also found this ball to be really amusing and I found him playing with it while Ethan was napping. Thank goodness the surface is washable! I guess in the future both our boys will be fighting for the toy they want...

Rain Jacket for the Rainy Day

2008-07-16T16:59:00.007-06:00

What rainy days we have been having here in the West side of town. One thing nice is that we don't need to water our plants or lawn, however, my rain barrel is very very full. We found a rain jacket for Ethan after looking at various stores and thankfully we found one on sale at good old Superstore. It has been in good use this Summer already. I don't think he likes the hood though, it covers his entire face! Hey, at least he doesn't get wet right?!?
Yes, he is standing hands free. He's being a very brave little boy lately. He is however, leaning against my legs :) Soon he'll be walking I'm sure.

Standing

2008-07-07T12:14:00.004-06:00

In only a matter of 5 days, Ethan has taught himself to kneel hanging onto his rail in his crib to standing. Today while writing his new height and weight (27.5 inches and 19.9lbs) on his wall, I was surprise to look over to see him standing up in his crib. We will now have to move the crib to it's lowest position. Next thing I know, he'll teach himself to climb out of the crib!

Future Soccer Player

2008-07-03T16:50:00.002-06:00

Ethan's new favorite toy at this time is his soccer ball. As soon as you pull out the ball and roll it to him, he gets so excited. This is what Mommy and Ethan does when he gets up in the morning. Nothing like some good old morning exercise - ha ha ha.

Happy 35th Anniversary

2008-06-30T22:34:00.003-06:00

What an amazing couple... my parents celebrated their 35th Wedding Anniversary today! 35 years ago, I'm sure they imagined what their future held as they walked down that aisle. Now 35 years later, they are enjoying what their hard work has brought them: 3 grown adult children, a grandson, retirement and freedom to do what they want. I sure hope all their dreams have come true, if not all, at least most.
To my parents, Happy Anniversary. Cheers to many more anniversaries to come...
Much Love!

Clicking Master

2008-06-24T17:52:00.003-06:00

Wow, after all those Chinese Aunts and Uncles clicking their tongue at Ethan, he has learned how to do it. And it's not soft either, he can click his tongue pretty loud. He loves when you click your tongue when he is doing it. I think he thinks it's a way of communicating with each other.

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-15T22:10:00.005-06:00

Ticklish

2008-06-14T15:37:00.003-06:00

I guess he's like Mommy... ticklish. He is ticklish everywhere, his feet, tummy, back, arm pits, everywhere. It's too funny.

2 Babies!

2008-06-06T16:15:00.004-06:00

Our "Race Horse" Dog

Press & Seal is amazing!

Well, with Kona being so sick as he is, it's like having 2 babies at home except one is much more work... Kona! He's doing better, so the Vet says, so that means we're on the right track. He's still not eating as well, but that is probably because he's not allowed to run around, so he's burning very little off. He now has to wear socks on each of his paws to protect them, so Wackie had me buy him black socks so that they would blend in. Too bad, the athletic tape that holds them up are white. Well, he looks like a race horse now. We're also suppose to put plastic bags on each of his paws when the ground is wet outside, but we found an even better solution... Press & Seal! Amazing stuff, and the best part is, you can keep reusing them. No tape needed, just press and it sticks. ha ha. We should send in this picture to Glad and tell them what else people can use their product for. ha ha ha.

Cone for Kona

2008-06-03T20:16:00.002-06:00

Well, he's back home now after spending a night at the Vet clinic. He's not doing too hot. He now has to take 2 more new medication so in total he's on 3 antibiotic medications. As you can see, now all 4 of his paws are bandaged up and he gets to sport a fancy cone to prevent him from trying to take his bandages off. We go back on Friday for another check up to see how he is progressing. Sadly, he is to be confined inside so when he has to go to the potty, we have to take him on his leash so that he doesn't do anything active. Not a fun birthday month for him huh? He's turning 2 this month.

2008-06-02T13:13:00.002-06:00

Our poor Kona is not doing well these pass few days. We noticed that he started limping last week on and off and decided to bring him in to get his paws checked out. When Wackie brought him in, Kona would not let the Vet or Wackie touch his paw. It was decided that we had to bring him in the next day to get it checked out. The vet ended up having to put him under to check his paw and turned out that all of his nails were in poor shape. She mentioned that it could either be an infection or his immune system failing! It was so bad that 2 of his nails peeled right off when they were checking him (hence his colorful bandage). He's on anti-biotic for the next 30 days, plus a bath for his feet everyday. We are also trying to add in Omega 3 fatty acid supplement into his diet to see if it's something that is missing in his diet. If all of these don't work, then it means his immune system is poor. Well, this was all completed on Friday, and as of right now, Kona is right back at the Vet. While trying to chase him back into the house (since he's not suppose to be outside for long periods), something happened to one of his back paws causing him to bleed lots. Wackie had to come home to bring back to the Vet. We're waiting for the Dr.'s call. We're feeling the pain of vet bills...

Inhaling

2008-05-27T20:52:00.003-06:00

Here's our wacky little baby... instead of exhaling, he really enjoys to inhale to make noise. This is how he communicates with us. It's priceless.

Teething

2008-05-25T17:06:00.007-06:00

Well, after all these months of drool and no signs of teeth, we finally can see his bottom front teeth are cutting. This may explain why he has been very whiny and cranky over the past week. At least he's eating his solid well and we have almost finished all of the vegetables: squash, peas, carrots, wax beans, green beans, corn, and sweet potato. Surprisingly, he liked them all. We have a few more vegetables to try, but onto meats very soon. I'm saving fruits for the very end as most babies and kids like fruit. Who wouldn't, they're naturally very sweet.
Anyway, since feeding him at the dining room table, he has discovered the joy of biting the table. I think it helps soothes his teething. None the less, it's quite funny watching him bite the table in between bites of food. It happens every meal time. Silly boy. Mommy just has to make sure the table is well cleaned after each meal.

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T16:28:00.004-06:00

Well, my first Mother's Day has arrived. Ethan must of known it was a special day because he woke up twice last night just so that he can get some comforting from me. What a guy.

But I wish everyone who had even a glimpse of experiencing being a mom, a wonderful Mother's Day. We are that special.

Thanks Boys for the special Mother's Day gift.

1st Swimming Lesson

2008-04-30T17:57:00.003-06:00

Ethan had his first swimming lesson yesterday at the YMCA. He's a natural swimmer! He's not scared of the water at all, and he even got to go down the slide. It was lots of fun. We sang songs, practiced the front and back float (without his face going into the water... yet), and played with floating boats and swimming noddles. Ethan is the 2nd youngest in the class, the youngest being only a few weeks younger. Better start them young right?!? ha ha.

Buddies

2008-04-28T13:25:00.002-06:00

Lately Ethan is always looking for Kona. He loves watching him move, scratch and sleep. He has not shown any fear of him, but then again, he has seen Kona since Day 1. Hopefully, they grow up buddies. I already seen the relationship developing.
P.S. Don't worry mom, Kona didn't lick his face :) But if you look closely, Ethan is trying to lick Kona!

First Day of Solid Food

2008-04-17T21:56:00.003-06:00

Ethan did very well eating his solid food. I guess he was really ready for it. He sure is growing up fast.

Chinese Food Galore

2008-04-14T16:36:00.002-06:00

What a week of eating out... unfortunately it has been majority of Chinese food. Not that Chinese food is bad, we enjoy it quite a bit, but when you're eating it for lunch and supper consistently, then the fun of eating it is no longer fun. Since arriving here, we have had Dim Sum twice, 2 x ten course Chinese supper (yum), one big take out Chinese supper, and Congee/Rice/Noodle (literal translation) meal. And just think, we're not done our trip yet. ha ha. This morning, we met up with my parents who arrived back from overseas and had IHOP. Yum, good old Western breakfast. It was good. But I think we're done for Chinese food for some time. Anyone up for some steak and potatoes?!? ha ha ha.

Sick

2008-04-05T21:09:00.002-06:00

Well, Ethan is 6 months old today and to bring on the new month, he got sick! His first cold :( It started late last evening when I started noticing the symptoms especially when it took him so long to fall asleep. He would just fall asleep and then he would cough and of course that would wake him up. Poor guy. Today, it got much worse. He has watery eyes (just like his mommy when she gets sick), a runny nose and a cough. And in between, lots of sneezes. He's very whinny and cries quite a bit, but at the same time, very lethargic. He doesn't even want to stand or bounce and that is very unusual. I'm hoping this won't last too long, but I have a feeling that Wackie and I are going to pick up his cold fast seeing that he sneezes right into our faces. I hope he will sleep a little better tonight.

Our Turtle

2008-04-04T15:50:00.004-06:00

We had so much fun the other day at our photo shoot with HUA Photography. Hurene took amazing photos of Ethan and of our family. We of course had to bring Ethan's turtle costume that we had picked up this pass Halloween for this year's Noah's Fest. We sure hope he'll be able to still wear it by October. Anyways, here is a sneak peak of Ethan dressed up in his turtle costume. Daddy took these ones.

Bring It On!

2008-03-24T22:13:00.002-06:00

Wacky and I did this challenge and it turns out we can take on quite a few of them. With my 28 kids and Wacky's 27 kids, together we can take on a few classes of kindergarten kids! Turns out I have no morals on going all out on them and with Wacky's background experience in marital arts, we're a crazy wicked team.

How many can you take? Go ahead, take the challenge!!

http://www.howmanyfiveyearoldscouldyoutakeinafight.com/

Exersaucer

2008-03-22T15:08:00.006-06:00

Our friends let us borrow their exersaucer that their son has grown out of, and Ethan is having way too much fun on it. We got it only a week ago, but he has already discovered that he can bounce and turn his seat around. He's pretty intrigued by the toys around him, and found him today turning the spinning thing around. His hand eye coordination is getting much better! He's also mouthing everything he can, so be warn, if your finger looks interesting to him, he will put it in his mouth. ha ha.

Red Chariot

2008-03-17T16:55:00.003-06:00

Well, Wackie and I decided that it would be a good investment to purchase the Chariot. So after checking out pretty much every store that sells them, we finally got one last week. We decided to get the Cougar 2 which has room for 2, or for 1 with lots of extra space as our friends who already has them tells us it's worth it. Since buying it, we have already taken Ethan and Kona out on walks through the snow and puddles. It's so much fun, and way easier to push than our stroller through our sidewalks. We also got the attachments to convert it to a bike trailer or a normal stroller. Can't wait to use it when the weather gets even warmer. Now if they only they made them for adults! Ha ha ha.

He Giggled!!

2008-03-07T15:01:00.003-07:00

I finally was able to capture it on video. He can laugh out loud when he wants too. Though it's short, it's so very sweet!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2008-03-05T09:52:00.003-07:00

Ethan and I would like to wish Daddy a HAPPY BIRTHDAY today.

I can't believe Ethan is 5 months and Daddy is 3.... something years old today. Have a good day boys.

Our Silent Laugher

2008-03-03T11:27:00.004-07:00

You would think being my baby, that he would giggle and laugh out loud. Maybe it will come... Till then, here is our silent laugher.

Playing in Bed

2008-02-26T12:07:00.003-07:00

To my surprise yesterday, after putting Ethan down for a nap yesterday, he started to cry shortly after. I went in to check on him and found him lying on his tummy. He must of flipped himself around from his back to his stomach and couldn't get himself back onto his back.
Then during his afternoon nap, I was standing and watching him play in his crib and discovered how he turns himself around in bed. Wackie and I always wondered how after naps or in the morning, he is at the opposite side of the bed or stuck in a corner. Now we know why. I guess that is why babies need cribs with rails up. What a guy!
You'll have to watch till the end when he finally turns himself. Enjoy.

A Little Too Active for Nap Time

2008-02-21T11:41:00.003-07:00

This is Ethan working out all his excess energy prior to going for his nap. I had to take a video of this as it was way too funny to miss.
You think he'll be an energetic little boy?!?

Growing Up

2008-02-19T11:01:00.005-07:00

Ethan is looking more and more like a little boy, rather than a baby. Lately, he has been finding his hand and sucking on them which tells us he is developing since now he can move his hand to his mouth. He has also learned to put his little hands together and pick up his toys. Of course, he has also started to blow raspberries which is his new found joy. He even tries while feeding, but it doesn't work too well. He also likes to stand and bounce which tells us we better go and get one of those exersaucers that allows him to jump. My arms just aren't strong enough to bounce him for a long time. He can probably roll over from his back to his tummy, but I always stop him, cuz the only time he wants to do that is on the change table! Too scary - little dare devil. As the weather is warming up, I'm looking forward to bringing him out for walks, but first we need to get a stroller with bigger wheels. I guess there is always new things to buy...

In Bloom

2008-02-18T13:15:00.004-07:00

I love watching plants and especially my orchids grow and bloom. This orchid plant is extra special as it was given to me by my parents the day Ethan was born. It was in full bloom back in October, but the blooms quickly fell after bringing it home. It was quite sad watching each bloom fall off. I cut the bloom stems off and look, it's back in bloom! It grew 2 new shoots and in a few weeks, it'll be in full bloom. Aren't they pretty. This is a different type of orchid than your usual ones you see in store. This one is in the family of the Oncidium; Tiger Crow "Golden Girl", I like it because it's yellow (more unusual flower color) and it looks so different. Enjoy the blooms.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T13:18:00.002-07:00

Well, the commercial Valentine's day has come again when flowers, chocolates and cards are all overpriced! Most of you know I'm a sucker for flowers, potted of cut fresh, but during this time of the year, I refuse to pay the marked up prices for them. Even Costco flowers went up in price for roses. Usually, you get 2 dozen roses for $18.99, but yesterday when we went, they were a dozen roses for $17.99. Nope, I didn't get flowers yesterday, but I did get some a couple weeks ago and here is what it looks like now. I never can get roses to open up for me. I cut them in an angle with a sharp knife, change the water every other day, and give them food. I even placed them in warm water as that is suppose to get them to open up. I truly don't have luck with roses. Orchids on the other had, I can get them to grow and re-bloom. What am I doing wrong?
Well, no fresh flowers this week, I'll get them next week when they're back to "regular" price.

Salsa Dancing with Baby!

2008-02-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

Well I decided to take Ethan out to trial some Salsa dancing. A dance company was giving a free class at Lululemon today for an hour in the afternoon. So figuring there was nothing to lose, but more to gain, we tried it out. It was actually quite fun. There were quite a few mommies and babies there today and we did it right in the store so it was tight, but we made it work anyways. We learned a few dance moves and I'm sure my hips will feel some what sore tomorrow. Ethan loved it so much, he fell asleep in his snuggle - ha ha. All together we did 4 different types of dance, but I could only remember two names: the Salsa (of course) and the Cha Cha. The class is much more fun than working out, so I'll think about possibly actually joining a class. We'll see. Ethan is getting quite heavy to carry around in the sling ;)

Sad Birthday to Me

2008-02-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a sad birthday after all...
Though I was surrounded by friends of my small group, none knew it was my birthday, therefore, no birthday wishes to the gal turning... oh never mind :) I did however recieve a few birthday wishes via phone and e-mail, but it is never the same as in person. Thankfully the Lamy's came by to wish me a "Happy" Birthday and dropped off some very yummy cupcakes. Too bad there isn't anyone around to enjoy them with me, so sadly, I placed a candle in one, sang myself the birthday song, made a wish and blew the candle.
Sigh... is this what the up coming year is going to be like?!?

At least Ethan loves me!

Just about 4 Months!

2008-02-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

Well, our baby boy is just about 4 months old and he has experience the very cold Alberta weather. Don't worry, he never actually felt how cold it was as Mom and baby stayed inside for almost the entire week. At least during that time we truly discovered Ethan's sleep times: daytime naps and bed time. Whew, it is making life a little easier now.
I'm always being asked if I am enjoying my "time off" as I'm on Mat. leave and I never really know how to answer that question. Do I be brutally honest and say, well, it's work 24/7 with no set coffee breaks, lunch breaks and/or solid night time sleep, or do I just laugh and say, yes, it's nice. I guess, I'll just wait till they have a newborn in their household and ask them the same question :)
Anyway, there has been lots of funny moments... here are a few pictures to share.
P.S. Baby is now crying and I need to go and comfort him.

At 13 Weeks

2008-01-06T21:21:00.000-07:00

Wow, time has been flying at our household. It's been 13 weeks since Ethan's arrival and we are still standing (sometimes only barely). It's been quite the adjustment for all of us (including Kona), but we are getting the hang of being parents. One thing that we understood right away is that a cranky baby = cranky parents, therefore, we try hard to ensure that Ethan is well fed, changed and gets enough sleep, and the hard work has paid off. Ethan is nice and plumped and very healthy. Not only that, he is learning to sleep through the night which is incredibly nice for mom.
A few milestones has been already reached for Ethan, he's socially smiling now, cooing and "talking" lots, enjoys his tummy time and has even flipped himself over from tummy to back. He's working on going from his back to tummy and he'll get there soon as he can already get halfway there. He's still not too interested in his toys right now, but loves to look at lights. Overall, he's doing great and mommy and daddy are truly proud. Sadly, one member is getting the short end of the deal and that's Kona. But don't worry, he gets his "time" once baby is down for sleeps, but one thing is for sure, he's the only member of the family getting solid sleeps since Ethan has arrived. Lucky guy...

Weight Gain

2007-11-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

Not for us but for Baby Ethan...we went to the doctor for his 6 week checkup and of course they weighed him. We thought he would be around the 10 lb mark but to our surprise, he was 11lbs 2oz!! Man, we knew he was growing but that's crazy! I guess it's all his eating every 2-3 hours and his sleep! He was also measured and he is now 22 inches long.

So since birth (39 days), he has gained 4 lbs and grown 2 inches...

Winging It!

2007-10-18T12:06:00.000-06:00

Sigh... why do babies not come with a manual?!?
It's been a rough night last night as we attempted and successfully got Ethan to sleep in his own crib. The past 2 weeks, Ethan has been sleeping in our room either in his bassinet (usually didn't last long) or in our bed in between Wackie and I. I know, I know, once that happens, it's hard to get them to sleep on their own. But the convenience of the baby right there and the joy of just having your little one so close is too tempting. Besides, when else will the baby let you be so close to them? Soon, parent's just won't be "cool" anymore ;) Ethan usually has a fussy period at the last feeding before night time. He's wide awake and ends up keeping us up early into the morning with his fussiness. So, attempting to let him have some independence, we placed him in his crib and stood there trying to calm him down. After quite some time trying to calm him down, both Wackie and I decided it was time to leave the room. So we climbed into bed and listened to him cry and cry... how incredibly hard (how does one not want to get up and sooth their baby?!?). I watched the clock as he cried and finally got up to feed him after some time has passed. After feeding him and changing him, I placed him back in his sleeper and off to his crib again. Again, standing and watching, I waited till he calmed down a bit and went to bed. Well, the baby slept! I got up couple more times throughout the night to feed and change, but each time, he went to sleep in his crib!!! Prayer is strong! Not saying it was easy, I barely got any sleep as I am constantly waiting for his cry. It's now noon and I'm wanting a nap soon knowing that tonight will be yet another uneasy night...

Baby Ethan & Mommy at the Hospital

2007-10-13T15:04:00.001-06:00

Mommy loves you lots XOXO

Hospital & Me

2007-10-13T14:45:00.000-06:00

Well, Ethan is now a whole week old! To me, he has already grown, as I notice he's getting a little bit heavier when I'm carrying him. Also, he's feeding better which means he is either finally getting the hang of it (or more so I am), or he's a hungry little guy. I like to call him my "Hungry Hippo". :) He's sleeping better now too which is really nice, and he lets his mommy take a nap here and there when he's napping. But this week has not gone without a trip to the Medi-centre, and back to the MIS. The day we brought Ethan home, I was taking a nap, when I felt something in my right eye. As usual, I love rubbing my eyes, so I did and the next few minutes was crazy. My eye started turning really red, and then started to swell up. Not only that, I could see this thick substance in my eye (Gross, I know). Panicking, I quickly got Wackie to look at it, and called trusty old Dr. M. With his advice we headed over the the MIS Emerg, but the wait was way too long, so we ended up at the Medi-centre. Of course, I got dropped off, not wanting Ethan exposed to sick people. Turns out, the Doc that was suppose to come in, was "on route" meaning, on his way, so I had to sit there longer than needed since I was the next person in line. After a quick check and some antihistamines drops, I was clear and my eye is good (thanks Dr. M for checking up on me the next day). Well, celebrating Ethan's week old day, I noticed that my incision was starting to not look right. I called the Health Care Nurse, then called my Doc and was advised to go to the Emerg... again! So, my dad took me to the MIS Emerg and Ethan was in good hands with my mom. After getting the initial check and chart ready, I went to go sit in the waiting room, when my name was called right away. Turns out the nurse that was taking my info, asked if I could be bumped right to the front as I just had a C-Section and probably shouldn't be waiting in the "sick" room. So, I got in right away!! Even though there had been others waiting for 5 hours plus!! How incredibly nice hey. The nurse was so nice too (so there still are very nice people out there). I was seen by the Doc pretty quickly too, and was given a prescription for antibiotics to take. Sigh... I'm getting use to this Emerg scene. I hope I don't have to go back anytime soon. Lets just pray that I don't...

6 Days as a New Mom

2007-10-11T14:20:00.000-06:00

Wow, has it already been 6 days???

Life has truly been changed since the arrival of Ethan to the Wackies house hold. But as a mom (wow, so very odd to say that I'm a mom), life also changes. The first 3 days of Ethan's life was spent at the hospital, listening to all the other newborns cry, getting checked every 4 hours and trying to communicate with his parents what he wanted. I have to say, the hardest had to be after visiting hours and the whole night ahead of us, just Ethan and I. Scary! After trying to get the hang of feeding (we're still working on it), changing diapers as fast as you can so that he won't cry any louder and making sure that he was warm enough, I had little energy left to even climb into bed. It also didn't help that trying not to use your "core" muscles to move made life a little bit more tough. But now at home, and the help of my parents (thank goodness) and my hands on husband (when he's home), life is getting a little calmer. I'm still sleep deprived, but hey, I also have a 6 day old son. Looking forward to what kind of adventures we're going to explore.

I'm going to sleep... if I can.

Our Son

2007-10-10T19:48:00.000-06:00

Wow...Baby Ethan is here! It's seems like a long time coming but it has finally come and we are soo excited about it! Here's how it all began (well, from the time of birth, not conception!)

On Oct 04 I had to go work that night. I worked for a few hours until I got the call from Wackie asking me to come home because she was having quite a few contractions within 12ish minutes apart. I arrived home about 0100 hrs Oct 05 and we kept track of her contractions. For the most part they ranged from 8-10 minutes but her water had not broken yet.

We tried to get some sleep as we knew the time was coming as they were getting a little stronger. We were laying down when Wackie, in mid-contraction, felt her water break at 0316 hrs. We got her cleaned up and left for the hospital. We arrived there around 0400 hrs and was checked into the labour room where she had to endure a couple hours of pain without the epidural. At around 0600 hrs, she was finally given the epidural and things were a lot better for her. This have her time to get some sleep until 0830 hrs when the doctor got her pushing for an hour without success. The OB was brought in to see what could be done next. We were informed that Ethan was in the posterior position and was part of the reason that she was unable to push him out. A C-section was the only option at this point.

I dressed up in the OR garb and when I entered he room, it was such an emotional time as I saw my wife laying on the table with tubes hanging off her. I sat by her head as the doctors did their thing. While she was laying there she asked me to sing "If You Could See What I See", the song I sang to her at our wedding. I was so emotional that I could barely sing it without my voice quivering. Near the end of the song, the doctors were attempting to get Ethan out and when they did, all we heard was crying!

It was Baby Ethan and I will admit, I cried my eyes out. For such a long time, I have been waiting for THAT SOUND in the delivery room and it finally came! What a precious sound it was...my SON was born.

Welcome to your family, Baby Ethan...love mommy and daddy

Needy Dog

2007-10-04T13:24:00.000-06:00

Well, it sure has been a long time since I last blogged on this site. But now, I have time as I wait in anticipation of our new addition. But I know a Dog who is also anticipating change and is therefore, becoming more needy and emotional. Dogs truly have a seventh sense in knowing that something is about to change. Kona has been sniffing my tummy lots lately and trying to stay close by my side whenever we are home alone. He has also become more attached to Wackie and always laying his head wherever he is sitting so that he could get pet. He's even doing that to me, which is not as common. Not only that, he's getting sick again, which always happens when he gets emotional. I know, this dog is on a league of his own. Don't worry, I got a couple new toys to present to him when the new addition arrives and even bought him wet dog food to celebrate. He only gets these at Christmas or other special holidays, so I know he'll like it when I give it to him.
But I guess till then, I'll give him a little more attention. All I can say is, What a Dog!

Where's Kona!?!?

2007-09-16T21:34:00.000-06:00

We usually put Kona in the kennel when we leave the house and let him out when we get home. When we came home, I decided to do some things around the house. Later on, I went to go check on him and let him back inside. When I went out, Kona was not waiting at the door like he normally does. I called for him but there was no response either. I checked the gates and they were locked. Thinking a gate might have been left open, I went out to the street and called for him without success.

I went inside and informed Wacky and we went to the street and again called for him. Wacky then asks me if Kona was out of his kennel. I said to her that I thought she let him out...SOOO we checked his kennel and there he was!!! He did not even make a peep while he was in there! He was probably in there for a good hour before we even noticed...

Shots and Dash!

2007-09-05T17:34:00.000-06:00

I took Kona to the vet today to get his yearly shots. He was weighed and is no 64 lbs. Again he did pretty well and just stood on top of the table without moving as the vet stuck needles into his body. We also had the vet check out the clumps and lumps hanging off the top of his head around his ears. We thought they were skin tags (a lot of them) but the vet was able to check and determined them to be just clumps and clumps of tangled and mangled hair!

After we were done there were a lot of people at the vet so I walk Kona outside and put him in the car. I then get into the car and start it up and drive away. I went to the gas station and filled up my car and then it hit me...I did not pay for Kona's visit!!!

I went back and spoke with the attendant. She did not even realize that I had not paid. She asked around the office to see if our file was completed and had put the file away. Anyways, it was quite embarrassing but she was cool about it and laughed. She said this would have been the first for her to have someone come in and take off on the vet bill! They would have eventually found out and billed me anyways!

Another guy was there with his pet and he heard the story and we all had a good laugh!

Wackie

Sleepless In Seattle

2007-08-26T00:51:00.000-06:00

Well we made a trip out to Vancouver and Seattle. First Wacky had to get her doctor to approve of her flying seeing she was 32 weeks into the pregnancy and she "could" have the kid early. Good thing Vancouver is only a 1.5 hour flight otherwise this trip would have been vetoed!

First few days were spent in Vancouver and we checked out Granville Island (like we do everytime we come) and we hooked up with some friends we have not seen in a very long time (3+ years!!!) and their new additions to the family. It was great to get together and catch up a bit!

The next three days were spent in Seattle. The trip down was not too bad and we had to wait at the border for about 1.5 hours before getting to Customs. Once we were there, the officer didn't seem to concerned about us and just let us through. Pretty sweet. The wait back to Canada today was 45 minutes...and that was in the slow line! Had we been in the other line, we would have been done in half the time I'm sure! Again, no concerns and she sent us right through!

We could have stayed at the Fairmont Hotel downtown but because I am cheap I had to look for other places to stay. We ended up at the Eighth Ave Inn and once we drove around the area, it looked pretty ghetto. However once we walked around the area it was okay...Pan Pacific Hotel was across the street and it was decent...it was just a bad first impression. The hotel room had two bed and a small washroom, which was fine cuz we really only slept and showered there anyways! The hallways did have a slight odor to it though...

Anyways, the first day we drove down and shopped at the Premium Outlets in Tulalip. Great shopping and Wacky went crazy there. Too many things bought there to mention...highly recommended. The second outlet we went to was the one in Burlington...waste of time. Only a few good stores there.

While in Seattle, we walked around downtown, took in a bit of the Pike Market, Space Needle and the centre, and took the Monorail ($2.00 for a 90 second ride!). Oh if you are looking for FAO SCHWARZ, it's no longer there!!! We went looking for it (we were last there 4 years ago) and could not find it until we asked an information lady and she said they shut down about three years ago.

Ate at the Athenian Inn of Sleepless in Seattle fame. We kinda got there late when they were almost closing so we ordered quickly and chowed down the food just as they were shutting down for the night.

Sleepless in Seattle...that's what Wacky felt like. Not for what the movie was about but more for the bed. Here at my parent's place the bed is pretty hard. In Seattle the bed was okay but it was on a slant which kept her up for most of the night.

Chicken!

2007-06-22T13:57:00.000-06:00

Kona is official a chicken! Not that we didn't know that before...I took him to Laurier Park and went to the water's edge. He was soooo scared to go in the water that he would touch it and take a few sips of dirty water then run away. Duncan (the other dog) was so good at jumping in and retrieving balls and sticks!

Hopefully after a few more attempts he may become more comfortable. Maybe it his first experience that turned him off when he was a puppy? When he was few few months old we took him to Terwilligar and he was watching some of the bigger dogs jump in the water. He went in after them and submerged under the water (head under water). He then ran out and never went back in...hmmm...traumatized?

Kona's New Friend

2007-06-20T14:50:00.000-06:00

While doing some work outside, one of our neighbors from across the alley had her dog out as well. Her dog (Duncan) eventually came over and was sniffing around our fence, obviously who located Kona. I opened the gate and they played for about 5 minutes. Turns out Duncan is also a Border Collie/Lab but he has the short hair of a lab. They are about the same size and age and both are black with white markings.

Now Kona has a new buddy in the hood and will be able to have more playdates!

The End is Near...

2007-06-06T16:55:00.000-06:00

For your basement renos that is...as of June 18 we will have our carpets installed (hopefully) and it will be an end to the headaches and dust that is renovations! we also bought a new sectional from Mobler and will have that delivered two days later.

As for the leaking basement...luckily it has not rained very hard and it has been dry. We booked someone to install weeping tile and sump pump so we will never have to worry about the basement again!!! I did however, have to tear open the drywall and take out the rotting floor board and replaced it. Hopefully there won't be too much water before the weeping gets put in!

Once all is said and done.....LET'S PARTY!!!!!!

Slight Setback

2007-04-15T23:22:00.000-06:00

Just as things were getting done, we find out that there is a leak in our basement. Unfortunately we cannot find out where it is coming from but it was on one of the walls that we had some cracks repaired. now I'll ahve to cut open the drywall and see if the insulation is wet. If so then it might be a crack, if it is just from the floor, it might mean bigger problems....FOUNDATION issues!!! Arrgghh!! Plus I think it might have been from the neighbour piling their sidewalk snow onto our side and as the snow melts.....

Almost There!

2007-04-09T11:47:00.000-06:00

well the basement renos are SLOWLY coming along and hoping to get it done before the end of the month. Just a few things to do and we should be good.

I'm working on putting the doors in. It's kind of a hassle because some of the rough openings for the doors are WAY off and I have to cut them so they are bigger. It takes some time but it's worth it so i don't have to trim the doors down themselves. Just a few more and then I'll be good...

Then comes the trim and baseboards. I borrowed some tools so that will surely help with getting things done faster. it sure is slow when you don't have the right tools and you are trying to get things finished off.

Carpet has been measured and hopefully installed within a few weeks. We chose a color (taupe) but I think it might be too dark for the floor....hmmm...something to consider before actually getting it ordered. Still waiting for Home Depot with a quote for the cost for carpet install.

Well other than that things are looking up for the basement. Our place is still very dusty because I've been cutting things and such and dust is still flying around. I'll be VERY glad when everything is done!!!!

Basement Update

2007-02-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

Well, things are going fairly well thus far. The basement has been drywalled and is now being taped as we speak. The whole taping and sanding affair will take another 6 days. After that is done, the priming and painting begins.

As for the carpet, Wacky and I went out to take a look at some at Home Depot. Unfortunately we only had limited time and Home Depot was closing. We wil be checking out some other stores and see what they have.

Once again the whole house is dusty, and there is constant cleaning again. it doesn't help that Kona is shedding more and always walking into the dusty basement and leaving his paw prints all over the place.

It wil be great once that's all done and we can enjoy the extra space of the basement. Can't wait!
Will post pictures of the progress after the guys are done!

Is it Cold in Here?!?

2007-01-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

Well, what a couple of days...
It all started on Friday night when I got home. The house felt kind of cold, but then again, our house is always cold. Wackie tends to keep the temp at about 18 degrees. Anyway, after awhile of sitting and not taking off my jacket, I asked out loud, "Is it kind of cold in here?" So I went to check the thermostat and it read 17 degree. I also saw that it was flashing "Heat" so I assume heat was going to kick in. After another hour, Wackie even started to realize that it was cold in the house, so we went to the thermostat and it read 16 degrees. Brrr. .. turns out, Wackie accidently cut the wire that connected the thermostat to the furnace, while installing a new phone line for the kitchen. So after a few minutes of readjusting and rewiring, the heat finally kicked in. Thank goodness!
Saturday and Sunday, we had dry-waller's come in to drywall our basement which resulted in a lot of dust flying around. So Sunday, we opened our windows to let the dust fly out and air out the place. While doing so, we turned down the thermostat so that we wouldn't waste heat. After them leaving, we went out in search for carpet and went over to friends place for supper and some much needed catching up. When we got home, the house again felt kind of cold. I asked if we turned up the heat after we left? Turns out, our house was back at 16 degrees. Knowing that we did turn up the heat and that it was working, we had to search why our furnace wasn't working. The trouble is, is that the drywallers finished drywalling, so now Wackie had to cut the drywall to see if the wiring came lose. After doing so, and seeing that all the wires were still in tact, and serching for other lose wires, I asked if maybe the batteries were dead. So after a whole lot of stressing out, I changed the batteries and low and behold, the furnace kicked in!!! Dang! Wackie had to repatch his whole he made in the ceiling, but hey, we got heat!
Lesson learned... always check the batteries first before cutting any walls!

Congrats to Kona Again!

2007-01-10T21:28:00.000-07:00

Yep, Kona did it again. He has now passed his Intermediate and Advanced classes at Petsmart. There was a "test" on him sitting and staying in one spot for 2 minutes, going to his bed and staying there for 2 minutes, standing on the spot, coming when called and the like. All this and it included distractions such as the trainer bouncing a ball and making noise around him. He did not do them perfectly but did fairly well!

He did better this time with the hat on his head. At least we were able to put it on his head and have it stay there long enough for pictures!

Merry Christmas To You All

2006-12-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

A fun ornament on our "Fun" Christmas Tree

Kona and Wacky on Christmas Day

Another one of our "fun" ornament we got this year

Bones for Kona from his grandparents

Wackie and Wacky sitting in a tree

Merry Christmas to all and we hope you have a Happy New Year!

Our Gingerbread Building

2006-12-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

I asked for a simple Gingerbread House, and Wackie built me the

Empire State Building!

"Go Big or Go Home!"

Kona pix

2006-12-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

Picture of Kona when he was 8 weeks old....

Here is a pic of him at 6 months old

What?

2006-12-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

what's going on? Where was our blog?!?!?! We had problems accessing it... we checked at home and at work but all we got was a blank screen...but it seems to be working now. Anyone else have probs?

Nope, Didn't Make It!

2006-12-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

Yep, I'm still at home. I'm not symptom free yet, but I'm up showered, changed and ready to hit the road for some booster juice. But Wackie, decided to take my darn keys with my alarm while driving his car and left me stranded at home. Thanks a whole lot dude. You owe me a booster juice!

Joys of Working in a Hospital Like Setting

2006-11-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

Sigh... my second day off of work due to a virus that attacked my body Tuesday night. Over the past 15 days at work, our facility has been fighting off a virus that jumped aboard as fast as you can say it's name. We hit an Outbreak! Within it's first day arriving, 7 of our patients were hit. As of yesterday, the count was 69 patients, 30 staff... and me, one of them. Ouch. It didn't help that I was washing my hands constantly and if not washing with water and soap, using the waterless pumps. My hands were raw and sore, but now I'm stuck at home in isolation. At least Kona has been keeping me company. So far, I have made it from my bed, to the couch, to the bathroom and back into bed. Fun huh?
I'm feeling a little better today. I may be able to head back to work tomorrow, but we'll see how I feel later today.
Back to bed...

Is it Cold or is it COLD?!?

2006-11-28T18:57:00.000-07:00

Man, it's freezing here, literally. It's so cold that Kona doesn't even want to go outside longer than needed. In other words, he does his business and he wants back in! That's nuts for our pup.
Well, with all this cold, I'm thankful that Wackie has taken my car in 2 weeks ago to get the car starter, and then today for winter tires. So far, I haven't been close to getting stuck. Knowing my Acky (Acura), it would of been slipping and sliding or getting stuck at every turn. So far, I'm a pretty happy camper.
Now if only I can get Wackie to turn up the bloody heat in the house!! Brrrrr...

Graduation

2006-11-14T20:36:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say Congratulations to Kona from graduating from Puppy Training.

Now onto Intermediate Training aka Grade 1!

Coming Home

2006-11-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

Well, our 12 days are up and we are coming home.
It's been a lot of fun though. We ended up spending the full 5 days in NYC, checking all the sights and shows. We even waited in line to go into MOMA museum for free! Well worth it as Norm and I ended up making modern art our own fun. Pictures to come....
The best finds and such:
Kona's Superman costume
Shoes (total, we bought 7 pairs of shoes)
Clothes
Both Broadway shows
Target
USA Costco
Autumn that lasts...
Well, it appears we will be coming home to snow and coldness. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too bad. Let's just hope we both wake up on time for Monday's back to work schedule. Blah.
But, I'm looking forward to seeing Kona again. Surprisingly, I miss that sucker!
See you all at home.

New York Days 1-3

2006-11-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

Okay after the weekend of get togethers with family we have not seen in ages, we got toNYC.

Just a brief account (and no pictures)

Day 1:
First drive to NYC from NJ (about an hour drive,depending on traffic) via the Holland Tunnel and trying to find parking. We finally found an all day parking for $32 in Chinatown. After some lunch we checked out the Brooklyn Bridge( and the surrounding buildings (quite impressive). Walked around and made our way to the WTC Ground Zero. We did not go to the Memorials at this time because we had dad with us and his mobility in a wheelchair was not the best. We had to push him around and lift him up and over curbs.

Took the Staten Island Ferry and observed the Statue of Liberty from afar and then immediately took it back to Manhattan. Went to Wall Street and saw the NYSE Building and one of Trumps buildings. Went to Chinatown and Little Italy and ate at La Mela.

Day 2:
Times SQuare: Went to Hard Rock Cafe for lunch and then went to TKTS and waited in line for some cheap tix. Waited for an hour before it opened and was able to get Hairspray tix for 1/2 price....location: Orchestra seats, back 9 rows in the centre!!! Not bad and a great show. Diana DeGarmo from American Idol was in it...pretty cool to see someone from TV in person.

Walked around and checked out Radio City Music Hall and NBC Studios (just the outside) and then to Rockefeller Centre. Saw St. Patrick Cathedral and checked out 5th Ave and some of the expensive stores. We went to Central Park (south) and just hung out there for a bit and took pix before heading for supper at Europa Cafe. Cool thing was that it was across the street from the Ed Sullivan Theatre Late Show with David Letterman. Went to Hersey store and bought some chocolate. We saw The Original Hersey Automatic Gravitational Chocolate Machine. Bunch of kids were trick or treating there and the staff said all we had to so was say the same and we would get some treats (costume or no costume)...so we ALL got free chocolate!!!! SWEET!!!! (hahaha...get it?!?)

Even though it was Halloween, we did not see a lot of people dressed up,just a few here and there. There was a Halloween parade in Greenwich Village but we were watching Hairspray at the time and could not get there.

Day 3:

Saw Madison Square Garden and went to The Empire State Building. Again we went to TKTS and waited another hour before getting 1/2 price tix to Beauty and the Beast: 10 rows back and to the right...still not bad. We were hoping for Lion King tix but no luck! The show featured Donny Osmond (as Gaston) and when it was over,we waited outside for him and got a few pic of him signing autographs. My sis tried to get his autograph but his security dude eventually scooted him away.
Other than that time was spent on 34 St, checking out the shops.

We Arrived

2006-10-26T21:17:00.000-06:00

Well we arrived,but not without a few bumps here and there. As Kona may have sensed us leaving, he decided to get sick the morning we were to leave. Waking us up at about 5am, Wackie pleasantly found his supper thrown up in his kennel. After cleaning that out, our little pup just keep on heaving up. Knowing that the Vet opens at 8am (never bring your dog to the vet for emerg, unless truly an emerg - very expensive), we were able to see a Vet first thing in the morning. Turns out, the vet also takes boarding, so we quickly changed our boarding for Kona to his vet. They ran a test and placed him in isolation for some time. Poor dog. But everything turned up negative and was eating fine when we called the next day. I think Kona is a very emotional dog. He did this to us when we first got him too. He doesn't deal well with change.
Anyway, we're here at NJ and aren't planning on going to NYC till next week. So far, all we have done is shopped till we dropped. Wackie and I have found some pretty great deals and we hit a fantastic outlet mall today. I think we'll be going to a even bigger one on Saturday! Next time, pack less!
Well ciao for now!

NYC Here We Come!

2006-10-23T23:06:00.000-06:00

Well, the time has finally arrive for Wackie and I to head out to the Big Apple.
Here's a question for Yao, why do they call NY the Big Apple?!?
After some last minute packing (as usual), I'm sure we have over packed. But none the less, I think we are ready. After talking to quite a few people, it seems like there is lots to do in NY. However, we won't be there everyday. We will be staying in NJ and then commuting over. But since it's a big family vacation, I predict a lot of eating, more eating and lots more eating. I'm sure we will be well fed.
So, hopefully we'll touch base while we are out living the big life in the big city.
Poor Kona though, he's going to the kennels. Hopefully, he won't learn too many bad behaviours! Don't worry, I packed up his bag too.

Happy 2nd Anniversary

2006-10-15T22:19:00.000-06:00

Remembering and reminiscing

The first day of snow...

October 16, 2004

Happy Anniversary Wackie. Love you everyday...

Wackies Enjoying the Fall

2006-10-09T21:31:00.000-06:00

Enjoying the autumn colors and fallen leaves!

Update on our little pup:

He has grown before our eyes. He's about 17 inches tall and about 25 lbs.

Enjoys chasing leaves and jumping and lying down in the pile of leaves.

I think he'll enjoy the snow fall just as much!

BIg Apple...Here We Come!

2006-09-27T21:29:00.000-06:00

We're going to NYC! Main reason for going there is because it is my parent's 35th Wedding anniversary and we asked them where they wanted to go. After some thought, mom wanted to head to NYC and check things out there. Other options were a cruise, Hawaii, Mexico.

We will be there from October 24-November 05 and will be staying in New Jersey because we have relatives there. It will be nice because there are relatives that I have not seen in over a decade! Plus it will be nice for our immediate family to get together again.

Now comes to planning the trip and what we want to do. Of course we will be doing family stuff and the obvious tourist things! We will also try to catch a Broadway show and maybe even Letterman! So many things so little time!

So if anyone has any suggestions of what to do, let us know!

Wackie

Dog Park: Mud, Water and Drool = 1st Wash

2006-09-26T23:19:00.000-06:00

This pass Sunday, we decided to take Kona out to the Tewilleger dog park to socialize with others and to test to see if he would like the water. Turns out, Kona loves big dogs. He sniffs little ones, then just goes on to chase and play with the big dogs. And I mean Big dogs! He barely keeps up, but he's happy running along with them. One thing we found out though, is that we need to practice his "come". No troubles though. Along the river bank, we came across and lab and a Doberman that were swimming in the river. After a few toe tips, Kona decided to try it out. He walked in the water, and then must of hit a deeper section as he went under. It was quite funny. After that, he didn't attempt again, but he kept watching the big dogs swim. I think in time, he'll join in on the fun.
After a good hour of playing, Kona was a mess. So once home, it was our first attempt in washing him down. He actually did really well until we got to the rinsing the soap off. He decided he wanted to start running. Sigh... None the less, the dog is clean. Lets just hope he stays clean for awhile.

Improvements!

2006-09-21T08:58:00.000-06:00

Okay, not home improvements, but Kona improvements. The one problem we had was trying to get Kona to go into his crate and sleep at night. In the past week, we pretty much had to calm him down and pick him up and place him in the crate. Now for the past few days he's been going in there himself!

It pretty much started when I picked him up and placed him inside. I kept the door open and just let him lay there, pet him, and comfort him with "Good Kona, you're such a good boy Kona" and the like (plus feeding him treats helped too). He eventually fell asleep and I just left it open for him. He slept for about 15 mins and got out. Since then, he pretty much goes inside himself and sleeps! Pretty cool...

Oh and speaking of improvements (home that is), the contractors are not very organized. We had to pick out our vanity (which we did) and they were to order it. They never did it until they were going to install it and lo and behold it was not in stock so we had to wait a few weeks. Now the same goes for out flooring. I informed them a month ago what we wanted and again they just went to pick it up and again, it had to be ordered! Getting a little cheezed with everything!

But on the other hand, I have done most of the insulation and still working on the vapour barrier, then it is good to go with the drywalling.

Anyways, guess I should get bakc to work!

Wackie

Puppy Training = Owner Training

2006-09-17T15:51:00.000-06:00

Whew, it's been just over 1 week since we brought home our bundle of joy. It's already been a journey. After bringing him home last week, Kona decided to stop eating. Turns out, our pup is a very emotional puppy. With all the sudden changes, it was too much for him. After a few days of this, we decided to bring him to the Vet to ensure all was okay. Vet suggested that we start cooking him boiled rice and chicken breast. This pup is eating better than his owners! He won't be on this diet for too much longer, we just hope, he'll actually eat his puppy food.
What has Kona taught us so far... he has taught us to always keep an eye on him. You just never know what he'll get into next. Also, leave toys in every area so that if he has an urge to chew, you have something to hand him right away. And the biggest thing he has taught us, or still is trying to teach us is Patience! Kona is one smart puppy, and in many ways, I wish he wasn't so darn smart. But I guess the lesson is, be careful what you wish for. Smart dogs may be easy to train, but they can also train you.

Today, I'll be bringing our little Kona to Petsmart for his first potty training session. He'll soon be enrolled in Puppy classes. Hopefully I can train him out of talking back. I don't know where he learned that, but I'm sure my mom would be pleased to hear that Kona is talking back to me. After all, she always said, "Oh wait till you have kids!"

God, give us Patience.

New Addition to our Family

2006-09-10T22:38:00.000-06:00

We would like to introduce you

to our newest addition,

"Kona"

He is a border collie x labrador retriever

Being only about 10 weeks old, he's learning to do many new things

He may look small, but he's growing by the minute

He has already been spoiled with many new toys including his new stuff toy

We can't wait for him to meet you all

By Crikey!

2006-09-05T19:45:00.000-06:00

By Crikey! It's been fun! It is a sad day today to hear the passing of
Steve Irwin "The Crocodile Hunter".

Unfortunately, we never met him in person while we were in Beerwah visiting the Australia Zoo, but we couldn't resist taking a picture with him.

It was a fun ride!

Our memories of the Crocodile Hunter and his Zoo!

Orchid In Bloom

2006-08-28T22:59:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to share with you all my beautiful orchids which are currently blooming. I recieved this as a house warming gift early this year while in bloom, and after nurturing it, it has bloomed again.

Orchids are my favorite flower.

Happy Birthday Superstar Jo

2006-08-17T21:10:00.000-06:00

Yo Girl! Wishing the Superstar Jo a very Happy Happy Birthday! I sure hope the day has brought you great joy and laughter.
Make many wishes this year and watch them come true!
Happy Birthday!

Yoho Camping

2006-08-16T08:52:00.000-06:00

Well, last weekend we were able to make a trip out to the mountains for some camping in Yoho national park in BC.

The temperature when we got there was around 13 degrees and by the time the evening came around it was around 5 degrees. we could definitely see our breaths...plus it rained for the both nights we were there!

Takakaw Falls...okay it looks small but we took this picture from a distance.

Why are we laughing? This particular fall was called the "Laughing Falls", so naturally you have to laugh! Nothing funny about it, but you just gotta! Maybe it was the water that we drank?!?!

Having a drink from the falls to cool off!

Here we are at Emerald Lake. The lake was really calm...and green, hence the name!

Yummy delicious sweet corn from Superstore!

@ the Natural Bridge. The water use to run over the rocks as a waterfall but over many, many years it has eroded and a big hole was create in the rocks. Now there is a "natural bridge" that hangs over the water. They say eventually the rocks will erode over time and there will no longer be a "bridge"! At the time of viewing there were no idiots trying to use the bridge!

It was a good journey...

Lost Dog!

2006-08-06T20:21:00.000-06:00

Today I got a real sense of what it takes to look after a dog. This weekend, we have been dog sitting for friends of ours who went camping for the week. Devoutly, we have been letting the dog out and taking him for a walk around the neighborhood. Yesterday, we took him down MacKenzie Ravine but had to take a short cut when a family walked by and told us that up ahead there were coyotes that chased their dogs. Seeing that Owen is only knee high, we thought be better not risk it and took the very long flight of stairs back up and out of the River Valley. Today, I was on my own. Feeling sorry that the dog had to be cooped up in the house, after lunch I took Owen out for a very long walk again through the River Valley. Too tired and in need of a drink, I decided to stop at our house and let the dog run loose in our yard. After walking through our backyard and dog proofing any potential get a-ways, I gave him water and went inside. After cooling down a bit, I peeked outside and saw him lying on the stairwell. Thinking he was okay, I fell asleep on the couch. After waking up, I decided I better go check on the dog and lone and behold, there was no dog in sight! Panicking, I start looking very thoroughly through our backyard looking behind bushes and flowers and still couldn't find him. I start yelling his name looking to see where he could of escape. I run to the back alley looking frantically and even go into our neighbor's backyard thinking maybe he squeezed himself through the fence. No dog! I call Wackie in a panic saying I lost the dog! Not much I could do but look, so I take the leash and walk out my gate. I see my neighbor across the street and I ask her if she seen a greyish looking dog? She goes, that one and points behind me. Owen is running towards me. He jumps up and down all excited to see me. I'm like, yep, that would be the one. Where did he go? I have no idea. Maybe he was hiding on me, maybe he was stuck somewhere, maybe he did run away and heard me yelling his name. But none the less, the dog is back in his home safe! Whew! Lets just say, I don't think I will be leaving that dog alone in our backyard again.
At least tomorrow I'll have Wackie with me. 4 eyes are better than 2!

In Bloom

2006-08-04T21:35:00.000-06:00

Over the past few weeks,Wackie and I have been digging and planting new plants in our new expanded flower garden and watching the grass grow. I went on a second kick of buying new plants and taking some from our friend's yard (Thanks KEY & Peacock). Looking outside our kitchen window, our backyard is finally slowly coming together. Together we have made some much needed improvement in our back and front yard. It has all been inspired by the amount of "In Bloom" nominations that appear in so many of our neighbors yards. You see, every year, Edmontonians nominate yards that are well landscaped and well kept(flower gardens) and the top finalist are posted in the Edmonton Journal. As some of you may be checking it out in the Journal, these yards are beautiful. Although our yard is no where close to being there, we have the satisfaction of saying that we did our own landscaping and planting. Yes, those that have been chosen are those that have been professionally landscaped. It's not fair! But whatever. One day, maybe our flower garden will be nominated. If only Wackie would let me get rid of more grass for more flowers...

Happy Birthday Dr. J d (Mrs.)

2006-07-23T16:36:00.000-06:00

Happy 27th Birthday Dr. J d! How does it feel to be 27? You are slowly approaching the "late 20s", but I won't rub it in.
I hope you have a wonderful Birthday filled with surprises and laughter. Wish we could be there to give you the bumps.
Jer, it's up to you...

A Picture of Yao and Myself

2006-07-19T22:30:00.000-06:00

I thought I share a picture of Yao standing in a distance from me. Yao, you're sure looking tall! Ha ha ha.

This is Yao's comment back! :)

Welcome to the Family!

2006-07-18T22:45:00.000-06:00

Here it is, the time we've been waiting for! Now we present to you, our new Mazda 6 Sportwagon GS V6.

Picture of us at the dealership with the SOLD sign

Zoom Zoom

2006-07-14T16:29:00.000-06:00

Well, we done it. We found our new car. After many test drives and humming and hahing we made the decision.
You'll now just have to wait for the picture!
Ha ha ha

Just for fun!

2006-07-12T21:24:00.000-06:00

More to come...

Mind Your Own Business

2006-07-07T14:23:00.000-06:00

Wow, some people just have to learn to keep comments to themselves. I hate how strangers out of all people stick their heads into other people's business. For instance, today after work I headed over to the Bay to pick up some personal items. Because they are changing the way you pay, they too have that central location for all purchases. No more service tables by items that really should have a separate one (I think anyways). Anyway, I line up waiting patiently in line. As one guy is dealing with a lady who is looking for other sizes in this dress to buy, but since they didn't have it, she wanted the guy to call St. Albert's. Anyway, while he is doing this, he asks if it would be okay that he rings my purchases through. No problem. Anyway, so I go to till, he rings it in and my purchase cost shows up on the screen. This lady was like, Wow, that's expensive. With this tsk tsk attitude, she's like, don't you think that is a little expensive for those 2 items? I just smile at her and say oh well. I pay and walk away while thinking in my head, what don't you mind your own business lady! Who are you to judge me or tell me what is and what isn't expensive?!? Urg! Sometimes I wish I was a "mean girl" who just tells people where to go. Blah!!!

Bloody Hot!

2006-07-04T20:33:00.000-06:00

Wow, has it even been so freakin hot here! You can only walk around with bare minimum before the neighbors start to talking. Blah, it's gross. What is worst is that our house can't even air out. With our original windows, only 2 windows in our entire main floor opens: the kitchen and master bedroom. Yep, that is it and now I'm dying in this house. I have opened all the doors, but so far, no wind is coming in. We've ordered our windows about a month ago, so we shouldn't be getting installed till like mid to late August. Great...
Must step outside!