The Man of the House

Happy 34th Birthday to my husband Keith!

It's been 17 years of birthdays with you and I hope to share MANY more.

Even though we fight like cats and dogs, I still love you and always will! Two more stubborn people you WILL NOT FIND!

xoxoxoxo

Rachel

Lumps and Bumps Update

Thanks for the advice and such!

Chad came home today with a few more hives. I was quite worried yesterday when the hives travelled from his arms down to both of his legs. After a dose of Aerius he improved greatly and today we've given him another dose. He's obviously allergic to something and finding out specifically what it is....well quite like finding a needle in a haystack!

My elbow is a bit improved today. I hope tomorrow it will feel even better. Anything to avoid a visit to the doctor. I don't like doctors and having to go once a month for my pregnancy is traumtic enough in itself!!!

Lumps and Bumps

Keith has been away for four days in the Okanagan doing a course for work. We have missed him very much. I especially don't sleep very well when I am the only 'grown-up' in the house overnight! I look forward to a good nights sleep when the man of the house is back tonight.

Now, this is how Chad came home from school today. I have no idea what could be causing this....he doesn't have any allergies that I am aware of!

Another medical mystery on tap is my elbow. Yes, my elbow! Yesterday at work it felt a bit bruised when it was resting on the arm rest of my office chair. By the evening it was actually aching quite a bit. In the middle of the night it felt like someone had taken a hammer and smashed the joint! It still really hurts when I flex it and I have NO IDEA what the heck is going on. I haven't bumped it or anything. OWIE!!!!!!!!!!

Making it Special

Thanks for all your cold remedies and advice. I went to the pharmacy to beg for some relief and all she told me that was safe was saline nose drops! They really didn't do much but today I feel like I am on the winning side of the battle. Still congestion and sneezing but it seems to be lightening up.

On Friday we let Chad chose his dinner and of course he asked for sushi. I couldn't taste so skipped out on the feast but he and Keith stuffed themselves silly with an assortment of rolls. Chad even eats the roe on top! My goodness.....he's a braveheart.

Yesterday my dad took Chad out for lunch. He has been made to feel very special this weekend and that's what birthdays are all about!

Last night in lieu of a party (I am a lazy, good for nothing mother) we went to dinner with his best buddy (and his family too) to Red Robin and then came back to our place for mud pie. It was a great evening even though I couldn't taste or breathe :)

Both of our boys are best buddies and are in the same classes at school....we are very blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives!

Super Seven

Happy Birthday Dear Chad!

What a delight to be your mum. You are so fun to parent! You are such a goof yet completely and utterly affectionate and loving. I hope you enjoy every moment of being seven years old!

A long time ago.....

My Graduate

Chad graduated from Wee College this evening. He's quite proud of himself and we are too!

To be honest though, I am quite glad to be done this stage of our lives. Six years in a row of taking my kids to Wee College is quite enough! And six year end programs to sit through.....oi!

Chad received special recognition for only missing one class in three years of Wee College. That was the Disneyland trip...totally worth it in Chad's mind! He had been aiming for perfect attendance but his parents messed that one up for him :)

Okay...there we all are. I know some of you gals are hankering for a picture of me in all my chubby splendor. For the record my top is quite blousy and making me look like I have a tummy already. I don't. And it's not even a maternity top....so there :)

But I did buy a few items from the maternity shop last night so I can't be in total denial. Keith and I went to Bellis Fair to pick up Chad's birthday gift, so since we were there anyhow I checked out their one and only maternity store. I did find some wonderful deals on jeans and denim capri pants. I also got a few tops as well. Wait until you hear this deal though. I found maternity dress pants at The Bay for $5.99 each! I got three pairs and now am completely set for work. What a bargain!

Sick

I'm not sick and neither are my men, thankfully. What's been sick is our computer. It's been acting very strange for about a week now. Some function wouldn't work one day and then work perfectly fine the next. Very random and annoying! Fortunately the IT department at my work has a very updated McAfee they let the staff take home and install on their computer. We had some virus protection but it was obviously out date. We are pretty sure we are now virus free but our computer seems much slower. The McAfee appears to analyze every click of the mouse to deem it 'safe' or not.
Saturday's weather was absolutely out of this world! Our backyard thermometer registered 30 degrees in the afternoon. We took advantage and make our backyard very spiffy with all the work we did. Mowing, trimming, edging, planting, weeding, pruning and fertilizing! We are both a little sore today from all our hard work but things look good. I even took a nice tumble out of the flower beds when I tripped on the edge of the lawn. Chad thought it was hilarious and re-enacted it for Keith several times. Thanks buddy!
Today with it being raining and grey again is a bit of a downer. Yesterday was just a teaser!
Nothing else really exciting this post......maybe next week?!

In My Face!!!

I am frugal. Even in my despair I have a clipped coupon on my fridge for $2 off a package of Pampers! Everyday I see this and really can't believe this is happening to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Good Phone Call

It appears our car can be repaired! I am so relieved.....SO RELIEVED!

Whirlwind Weekend

Wow....we don't have often have jam-packed weekends like this one. It was very fun but could not do this on a regular basis!

Oh and first off....no news from ICBC on the car. They are definitely keeping us on pins and needles. All we know is that an estimator has looked at it and it's sitting in a salvage yard. Hmmm....they'd better have some news for us Monday or I'm going to have a nervous break-down! Okay, enough of car talk.

Our first event of the weekend was Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service's annual appreciation banquet on Friday night. It was held at the Ramada this year which has wonderful buffet food! This was the first year they asked all the men (and a few women, pardon me) to wear their dress up uniforms and my did they all look spiffy! A room full of firemen in full uniform? Hello! A nice sight :)

I am sorry we didn't get a photo of ourselves. I had a very proud wife moment as Keith designed two new flags for the fire department and they were unveiled that evening. They look great and he got kudos for that. Great evening altogther!

Saturday we were up bright and early to attend my cousin's wedding at 10 am! Definitely not a common thing to attend a morning wedding but it was very low key and it did free up the rest of our day for all the other things we had to fit in. I didn't get too many photos because my brother was there snapping away with his skookum camera. I'll post some of his when he emails them to me. After we arrived home we did a very quick tidy as we were expecting our dear friends whom we hadn't seen in a few years to come and visit for the afternoon. Keith even pressure washed the back deck. It's clean enough to eat off of now!We have known the Stonehouse's for almost 10 years now and even though they're on Salt Spring Island now we still keep in touch. (Jenn's blog is on my links) The kids played together like they had only seen each other yesterday. It's so cool how they can do that!

After they left around 5:30 we had a quick dinner and then Kori and family came over. We decided that a nice long walk would be a great way to visit and get the kids all tired out :) So walk we did.....and it was a looong one. Around two hours in total. I really should have worn my pedometer. Another photo-op missed as Kori spotted a gorgeous owl very close to the trail we were walking on. He let us look at him for quite a while before he flew away! Once we got home we settled the kids down with a movie and popcorn and set up the Settlers board. Kori took the championship once again. It was a late night but totally worth it.

And now we get to today. Sundays are always early mornings here. I help out in the pre-school registration each week so I have to be there by 8:45 am sharp. The sermon today was excellent and I'm always so glad I went. Once we got home I got to work on five loads of laundry as we were all running out of socks and undies. In the midst of my chores I got a phone call from my uncle who was here from Calgary for the day (it's my Opa's 80th birthday) and he wanted to come and see our place. So......another quick tidy and house tour for him! It was great to see him though and we're so glad he called. My aunt and their boys didn't fly out and my kids were really disappointed to miss seeing their cousins (well they are my cousins but young so....it gets complicated :)) Okay...are you all still there? Awake? Loving the play by play?

Next event: Opa's 80th birthday party! The whole Klassen gang gathered in the basement of a local church for a wonderful supper, dessert, visiting and a few speeches. It was wonderful to honor my Opa and I could see he thoroughly enjoyed himself.

So as you read, it's been go, go, go....I almost look forward to work tomorrow where I can relax and sit in one spot for a few hours!

60 is the New 40

One of the better parts of yesterday was that it was my Dad's birthday. A big milestone of 60 years! My mom treated our family to Chinese food and then we all went back to their place for some delicious homemade black forest cake.

My dad's two most very favorite grandsons!

My dad's two most favorite children!

My dad's most favorite dessert and wife!

Opening up his gift from us.....we got him a new CD player component for his stereo system.

I Wish It Had Only Been a Joke

I got a call today at work....a call I really didn't want to get.

Keith called to tell me that my parked car had been hit and the back end was smushed!

I do have to park far away from my office and it's a nasty street we call 'the ghetto'. It's more like an alley and it's smelly, lined with garbage bins and more than a little scary. I was parked along the side of the road....the last one in a long ling of cars. Some stupid woman was picking up her puppy who was with her in the car and swerved into my car, the car in front of me, which in turn hit the car in front of it! This lady caused damage to THREE cars with her careless actions. She is young and actually had a suspended license. Grrrr! Thank God she had full insurance though. ICBC has to assess the damage. We are just hoping they can fix it and not have to write if off if the body is twisted.

I am now driving a tinny and tiny rental Hyundai until we hear further. Yeah.....what a total pain in the arse!!!!