leap day leap day!

Despite the number of should-dos on the list tonight, I thought I'd better get to the blog before February runs out - I even have an extra day! I love the Google image today, full animation here:

Does a day go by without a Google visit? For any readers? If I go online I visit Google... I'm pretty sure that's a given. Anyways! Steve just walked by me with a bowl of last night's dessert - which was ah-mazing, and I'll give you the recipe link here; Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake WITH ice cream, delicious. We had the Duerdens over for dinner so I doubled it up, and though I did cut down on the topping pre-boiling water, I could have done a bit more cutting as parts of the sauce/cake were a big too sugary. Anyways, you won't be disappointed if you make it... yums yums yums.

So after beating Guelph in the quarter-finals on Saturday we're in the last two weeks of season; we go to Toronto on Friday for semi-finals vs. Ryerson and then hopefully a Saturday night finals repeat of last weekend's match against Toronto. If we beat them, we've earned a ticket to Nationals in Brandon the following week - which would be AMAZING, and there's no reason why we can't do it. Toronto is strong, but we're strong too, just lacking some of the consistency they're able to display match in and match out. Steve heads to Hamilton this weekend for the men's OUA tourney, so Gram and Gramps are in town to hold down the fort with the kiddies. Hendrik has been pretty glued to Steve, asking him to do everything with him (sometimes for him) - and he insists that Daddy does things that I could very easily do (pour him milk, help him get his jammies on - while Alana is doing it all on her own). I'm not foreseeing any problems with the g-parents here as the kids are already excited about the upcoming visit.

The last few weeks have been a serious struggle with sleep, so a night away will hopefully mean at least one night of solid sleep for both parents (away at hotels in separate cities). Hendrik was pretty sick last week with a weird flu bug, and Alana has been up between 1 and 5 times every night with dreams, fill-my-water-bottle demands, and/or intentions of sneaking into our bed in the middle of the night. I had to lay down the law and put an end to the sleep with me thing because both kids were doing it and we'd end up waking up bleary-eyed-exhausted with four of us in the bed, or two or zero, and it was way too exhausting. The trade-off is this; once a month (or ???) we can do sleepovers with the kids but ONLY if they sleep in their own beds during the week. So after a few days of successful alone sleep by the little dude, the boys had a sleepover in the living room on Saturday night and Hendrik fell asleep while watching a hockey game with a HUGE smile on his face. Thought I should have been in bed (Alana was unaware of the sleepover) since I've had a pretty bad cold/cough, I went out to meet up with some basketball friends, and it was great to see them, great to talk about plans for next year's World Master's Games (the plan is to go and play bball and repeat the gold medal the team earned in Torino) and great to just step away from mom/school/family for a few hours. 

Steve finished the floor in the kitchen and it looks great - but we don't have before pics! After pics are below:

new tiles going over old ugly stickies

ta-da! it looks SO much better in there!

We're starting to think about summer plans, and it looks like we'll stay fairly close to home, with a few trips to the cottage (hopefully), Bowmanville, maybe camping, and maybe Chicago (or somewhere close-ish). Both kids are signed up for baseball, Hendrik is in soccer (starting in May), and Alana will do a spring gymnastics and possibly a soccer something. My beef with the programs that are offered is that they're ALL at that time when the kids (especially 3-year old Alana) will be close to hitting the pre-bedtime wall. Three-year old soccer at 6:30? Ugh! We're undecided, but the enthusiasm was running high after some living room soccer (with a volleyball) last night - until Alana threw it at the TV. We moved the sports down to the basement where we continued with some tennis, volleyball lessons (Hendrik and Alana were the coaches), and then came the major meltdown when Steve left for his Sunday night hockey. We survived, but it wasn't pretty; I think it was a combination of fatigue and a sugar low after the chocolate pudding cake ice cream chowdown. 

in her new bathing suit - she's loving her swimming lessons

Anyways, this is getting lengthy and I have schoolwork to get to and some vb stuff to do - I'd better jet. It's been beautiful here but I think it's supposed to snow again tomorrow... winter isn't over yet!

looking grown up in his new glasses

pictureless post

It's Sunday night at 8:30, the kids are sleeping, and the house is a complete disaster zone - there are books and toys everywhere, most of the kitchen furniture/stuff is in the living room (Steve is putting a new floor in in the kitchen), and the kitchen is a mess. Despite the incredible need to organize, tidy, and clean up, I am going to throw in the towel and go to bed. I will. The kids were both up multiple times in the night last night in tears and tantrums because we wouldn't sleep in their beds - and they wouldn't take no for an answer for at least an hour (at 4am). In all fairness, Hendrik is sick, but he didn't seem at all sick in the night, just stubborn and ready to push boundaries way past any and all  tolerable limits. They finally fell asleep - and so did we - but were up and ready to squeeze us out of bed at 7:15 (why they don't do this on school days continues to baffle us). Hendrik spent the day in the down and out doldrums (on the couch, sick), and Alana and I made it outside to sweep, play with sidewalk chalk, hit the mall (to order some new glasses for Hendrik) and then do some snow and water experiments in the front yard. After our last two regular season games in Toronto, it was a nice day of nothing and no obligation- despite the fact that they are there, calling constantly (now, mostly school). The head coach of the team is back and ready to lead the way again, so I have resumed my role as an assistant even though I'd have liked to see the season out at the head of the bench. If all goes well in our quarter-finals next weekend we'll be back in Toronto in two weeks for semis and hopefully finals - and then who knows! Maybe we'll win a ticket to Nationals in Brandon (mid-March); this is the ultimate goal, so we'll keep working hard to get there. I really enjoyed the experience as head coach, but the only way I can see myself doing it as a career is if there are more family friendly practice times; without fail I missed dinner and/or bedtime every night we had a practice (key word = night). I know it's different south of the border (though I think there are some teams in the CIS that train earlier in the afternoon), but when I went to school we trained in the early afternoon - allowing for some semblance of normality in the everyday lives of our coaches and their families.

Anyways, bed. The list for tomorrow: clean up, do homework and volleyball stuff, and tend to the sick kid. My fingers (and yours too please) are crossed that our babes sleep better tonight than last.

update...

A few days ago there was green grass all around us and I was actually thinking about putting my snow pants away - but goooood thing I didn't! We woke up to 30 centimetres of fresh snow this morning, and it didn't stop falling until 4:00 this afternoon. Steve shovelled three driveways twice (not that you could tell he'd done anything this morning by this afternoon), and we were convinced that there should have been a school snow day (apparently they don't cancel school anymore). The kids loved being picked up in the sled, and we spent some good time playing in the snowbanks in and around our place before dinner. Other accomplishments of the day include baking valentine's day cookies, making (and getting rid of) valentines for the kids' classmates, and making a pretty good breakfast-for-dinner dinner (pancakes + fruit smoothies). Somehow Alana kept herself awake and occupied until 10:00 tonight, so I didn't get much work done... maybe tomorrow? Schoolwork and coaching are always calling - and competing - for my attention, never mind the kitchen and house and laundry and yadda yadda yadda. Our team is doing really well - we've won 10 in a row! Here's an article featured on the front page of today's London Free Press; hopefully we can get another win on Sunday and then bank a good week of training before we play two of the league's top teams next weekend (Toronto and Ryerson).

Steve took the kids to Bowmanville last weekend for some QT with Grandma and Gramps and Erin and Lennon, and I missed out - on crafts, some amazing meals, and good family time. I did get a big assignment done, slept all night long every night (this is no longer my reality), and had two games (win and win!), so things were busy (but quiet around the house) here too. Some pics from the weekend (thanks G&G!):

As usual, I'm sure there's more - but I'm tired and people will probably be awake soon enough; Alana's battling a cough, and Hendrik hasn't been sleeping like he usually does. Are they training us for baby #3? Not necessary. On that note I'm 27 weeks, feeling good, and looking pregnant; I've been getting looks from people at school that I don't know but see all the time - do I need to make an announcement? I don't know. Okay, to bed!

february post!

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, we have had a new round of seasonal books out (LOVE them), and craft activities (galore) have been happening at all times of the day - morning, noon, and night. After grocery shopping yesterday Alana and I hit Michael's for some 50% off Valentine's Day craft decor, and now there is no shortage... though with the number of glittery hearts that get plastered/stuck/taped on any given Valentine, we may be back for more. The kids have been showering both Steve and I with early cards (I have five on my desk alone) and getting a few done for their classmates as well... fun times!

26 weeks (below) - better pics to come!

10:03pm and she's still making valentines (she napped today)

Since I last wrote (which feels like weeks ago - was it?), we've had a few more matches - against Guelph (win!) and McMaster (win!) - with more coming up this weekend (against York and Nipissing). The team is working hard in the gym, and I'm working hard (trying my best) to get good practices out and to get them prepped for opponents (film film film!). Thank goodness it's not just me doing the game prep - with school and family it would be way more challenging to feel prepared for every weekend's match(es). School is going fairly well, though I'm still finding it a challenge to keep everything in balance (I stay up too late, never exercise, and am always tired). We have one month left of season / post-season (approximately), and then I should be able to meal plan, exercise, do schoolwork before midnight, etc. Oh, and get ready for the baby! Things are going well in that department, and I have my first appointment with the obstetrician next week at the hospital where I'll deliver (Victoria General).

It's been crazy mild here - so mild, in fact, that Alana was out riding her bike yesterday... on February 1st! The snow family we made last week has melted away, and their snow fort / snow home looks more like snow chess pieces than a dwelling. I've briefly considered getting Steve's bike out to get to and from practice, but it's still a little bit chilly and I've been starting to feel (like I've swallowed a pumpkin) more and more pregnant over the past few weeks. At 26 weeks I am definitely showing, and definitely in stretchy or maternity pants at all times. I haven't had any real cravings or aversions, but I do have more of a sweet tooth than usual... blame the baby! Hehehe...


There must be some kid updates I should include  - they're both in swimming lessons and loving it, school is going well for both of them, we registered Alana for junior kindergarten (starts this fall), and Hendrik has been reading up a storm (early chapter books). Alana requests Shreddies for breakfast every morning, while french toast has been a go-to for Hendrik; lunches are standard PB&J varieties (sandwich, wrap) while Alana still lives off of her lunchtime dose of cheese. Nothing much else is coming to me at the moment, so I'll leave it at that...

SNOW FAMILY! 

spot the 8 valentines on my messy desk