Even though we have no extra-curriculars and nothing to leave the house for after school / work every day, life feels busy (here in Ontario we're STILL in a stay at home order - until the 20th I think). There are very few spare moments of peaceful do-whatever-you-want - instead I'm on-call 24/7 for snacks, playtime, complaints, dispute resolution etc. But...there is some good in this! Working from home means more relaxed mornings, coffee and water whenever I want it, not wearing shoes, no yard duty (and recess fun with my own kids), and not dealing with swearing and throwing and behavioural challenges from grade 8s that don't want to learn French... this is good! But I don't love that my kids are parked in front of their computers for most of the school day every day, or that we're managing their schedules and ours (and Jordan's - his school is on hiatus too). More time together is good, but going to school in-person is better for everyone.
I need to post a "before" - and a before before!
what a nice tidy living room. this is real life!
In the last month we've had a few beautiful days, with warm temps giving me false hope of an early summer. Steve opened the pool, but with low lows at night we haven't fired up the heater - though the bigs did brave the cold water on one of those hot sunny days. We're trying to spend as much time as possible outside, playing hockey or basketball, jumping on the trampoline, walking the 'hood and playing random games across the street or on the trampoline ("blind old doggy" and "fetch doggy" have been some faves... I'll leave them up to your imagination, ha!). Another at-home challenge has been carving out time for Steve to tackle the front hall - he has done an incredible job transforming a smaller closet into a much bigger one with room for everyone's STUFF. We've been using the back door that comes into the kitchen, so there are piles of shoes and coats and masks all over the place... in the kitchen (which is obviously not ideal). And on these home notes, we are sort of making progress with the home reno. Steve submitted plans to the city last week and now we're waiting to hear back. We're thinking we'll have to submit a site plan of sorts (we don't have a survey), so that might set us back a little longer... not that we're in any rush! It will be nice to have a bigger kitchen and a functional bathroom on the second floor. I'm sure there's more to write about but I'm going to dig through my photos and get some of those posted too. Happy Spring everyone!
We've been doing LOTS of painting... fun :)
A helping with demo
I think they're bird-watching here... adorbs
H's turn to bust stuff up
When I see the three of them cooperating like this my heart wants to burst!!
Hurray, it's a long weekend! And I've made a list that I'm trying to make my way through. It's Easter Sunday and after an exciting Easter egg hunt, a "bun" (bike-run) with Alana, and lots of chocolate and candy, we made it out to the city's free disc golf course (for the second time since it opened). It's a super fun thing to do - with the fam and/or with friends (I look forward to that ONE day). Everyone is able to participate, even Jordan; he brags about how well he does on the 16th hole - super cute. I can't remember if I posted pics from the last time we went so I'll have to look back and get some up here if I didn't!
Another hurray for the arrival of Spring - yay! The last few days have been chilly but I think it was just Winter releasing its grip for good (or for six months or however long it is!). I need to put all of the winter goods away and free up some space in the front hall. With all of this stay-at-home time on our hands - and thanks to regular life and the accumulation and creation of stuff - there is lots to go through, especially with the prospect of a renovation coming up in the near-ish future. We had initially planned to convert our attic to a master bedroom first (to give all of the kids their own rooms) but are switching gears to tackle the main floor first. It will be a big job; our sinking addition will be replaced, and most functional spaces on the main floor will be updated or moved (bathroom, kitchen, laundry). I'll keep you updated with plans and a timeline - at the moment, we're waiting to get a survey done and prepping for permits.
Ontario entered a pseudo-lockdown a few days ago, so the sports that the kids started are on hold again (boooo!). Jordan and Hendrik were doing ball hockey and Hendrik was doing some indoor baseball clinics; Alana is signed up for soccer, but that isn't slated to start until May... fingers crossed outdoor activities can resume by then! The kids are all doing well at school and work is same old same old (same old challenging grade 8s, ha!); it's all good. Steve made a murphy bed in the guest room and it has cleared up so much space in there - we're thinking we'll make it an office space and put the kids' desks in there too (after the reno). It is so beautiful outside so I'm going to get out and enjoy the sun, with my book maybe. I've read some good ones lately (The Girl with Seven Names, Big Sky, and I'm currently reading The Vanishing Half), and want to make the most of this extra long weekend time. Happy Spring everyone!
I should be finishing my prep for an online coach facilitator workshop that is happening tomorrow, but instead, after looking at a few months worth of blog photos after dinner (from when we lived in Patras, Greece with the kids) - and because my blog is still open - I'm going to post! I'll try at least. The big kids had their second ski lesson last night and not only are they skiing on their own, they are doing the whole deal on their own, chairlift and all (!!!!!). I met the fam at Boler Mountain after work yesterday and then took Jordan home while Steve waited it out at the bottom of the hill. They came up talking about how fun it was and were very proud of the fact that they went on the lift and did so independently after the lesson wrapped up. It all brings back some great memories of skiing up at Cypress (one of Vancouver's North Shore mountains)... I'm not so sure I was going up and down the mountain at 8 or 10, but maybe I was? I need to find dig up some photos of us Osberg girls on the slopes; here are our kiddos:
Now... to work! And then to bed - I'm ready for the weekend!
The pressure is on - February is almost over! I can't believe it. As the days crawl by, there's one expression I think of again and again: "the days are long but the years are short" - are they ever. Thank GOODness the kids are doing a better job of sleeping through the night, so that means more consistent sleeps for us (yay). What they're not consistently doing right now is going to bed on time or without extensive coaxing, so we need to get better at that (blah). It's tough to say no to the nighttime cuddles and extra time reading together, but then all of a sudden it's after 10:00 and there's no time for anything on our lists (or sitting and doing nothing)(it's 10:13 right now and kids are still calling out for us - it is too much). Sigh.
We did a few fun things this week - and have no pictures to show for it! The big kids had their first ski lesson on Wednesday and they were amazing! "They seem like best friends out there!" said their instructor. Cue shock and disbelief from parents. They went up the little hill on the magic carpet and LOVED coming down the mini obstacle / race course. We'll have to get a video next time (we all went, and Jordan was a bit of a handful - as we were leaving the house he insisted his socks were dry and his boots were warm; they were not). We also lucked out with a skating spot at the Storybook Gardens trail yesterday and it was so so nice. It was a beautiful day, it wasn't crowded (they're limiting the number of people on the ice), and everyone skated independently (Jordan used the skate assist and specifically told me NOT to skate with him - ha!). We hit up Hendrik's favourite fast food joint on the way home (A&W) and dug in back at home... yum.
the back yard - lots of snow!
I've been at my new school for a month now, and I'm getting into a routine (I think). One of the grade 8 classes was away for 2 weeks with a few positive COVID cases (I had to stay home for a few days but then was cleared by a negative test and public health to go back to work), so there's some catch up to do there. I am only teaching the older kids, and I DO like it... but the age comes with a few challenges (no need to explain). Anyways! I'm liking it and it's great for everyone to be back in the flow of in-person learning and school. I'm probably missing so many February details - Valentine's Day was great (Jordan is super into paper crafts right now so there were a bazilion hearts and heart clippings everywhere) - we sent the kids on a scavenger hunt for some sweet treats; we're still in the process of figuring out renos (start date, what, when etc.); and ummmm... we're still living the COVID life. We're mostly at home, but have been enjoying the mounds and piles of snow everywhere even though spring is around the corner! It is. (This makes me think of a Frog and Toad story - anyone know what I'm talking about?) Alright, this blog needs to get up before it gets too late for my brain to function. It's almost SPRING!!
I made a goal for myself last weekend to blog - and here I am getting to it one week late! I did accomplish my other two list items last weekend: exercise and vacuum. What a life! Oh well. I have to admit that these are my goals this weekend too (!!), though I could add much more to the list - we have had quite the weekend! We had a bake-a-thon yesterday, making chocolate chip cookies, lemon sugar cookies and cinnamon buns (which we had for breakfast this morning - with crepes!); as my mom would say, oink oink! (😋) And, after a walk in the woods on Friday afternoon we were inspired to take the kids back to Weldon Park's small tobogganing hill with their skis, and it was a major success. Hendrik and Alana did a great job and they had so much fun! Steve heard Alana say something like "I knew it would be fun but I didn't think it would be THIS much fun" - and the hill is teeny tiny! They're going to love hitting the slopes if and when they open up. It had me dreaming of a family ski vacation one day... sigh. The line of the day was Alana, on one of her last "runs" saying, "Look, and mom, we don't even need you anymore!" It was great. That is, I suppose, an accurate summary of learning.
I feel like I should write about the catastrophe of our first click and collect order, at none other than the LCBO. For real! After Friday afternoon's walk we stopped to pick up our order, which took 45 minutes... how convenient! Seriously. There was some issue with payment not going through and so after a few trips in to see what the deal was (I waited in the car with the kids), several rounds of I Spy and 20 Questions and multiple where-are-we why-are-we-here queries, the I'm hungry and I'm colds started - and the car wouldn't start. The battery has been on the fritz for a while, but what timing! A nice employee from the store gave us a boost, and we made it home with our order (this makes the trip a success?). It seems like a very convenient thing to do (click and collect) and I think we will probably try again... hopefully everything is smooth and steady for round two.
family hockey in the church parking lot across the street :)
The only social time H has had independent of the fam... park meet-up pre-stay at home order
Okay, and the teaching and learning from home - how's it going? It's going. I've been teaching full time four days a week for the last three weeks, and have one more week of this job before I start full time at a different school. Hendrik and Alana have, for the most part, been great about staying on top of their work and class meets etc., and are relatively good at working independently. Jordan was at his school for the first half of January, but is now home full time too... we're all home! All. The. Time. It's busy and there isn't much prep time, but there are some pros for sure. It's great spending more time with the kids (playing hockey in the driveway at recess, going for walks together on breaks), I like not having to pack lunches, and I can wear my slippers all day (and I don't have to teach through a mask and face shield!!!). I do have to field the regular demands and questions all day, and that's a drawback - but with both of us home, at least we can share some of that responsibility. It would be a lot for just one parent! Blah. The kids don't seem to mind it, but they miss their friends.
Okay, I'd better get this posted ... Hope everyone is doing well in this ongoing pandemic!
What a paltry year of posting! Every time I do (actually) post something on here, I think - see! I did it! I can do it again sooner rather than later; I can find time. And I suppose that I could. But I don't. What a challenge it is to fit it all in and not feel overwhelmed (because really, there's no such thing as fitting it all in - things always get left out!). I'm hoping that I can get in a better routine in 2021 for things that are important to me - exercise especially. With time off for Christmas break ("time off" at home with three kids) we have found time to connect with some friends, connect more with family, and I have bundled up and been out running a few times. Hopefully these trends can continue!
Christmas dinnnnnnnner!
Steve made this ping pong table - another great thing to do chez nous
it snowed on Christmas Eve - so fun!
reading new books...
and reading more new books
Steve made me a blanket ladder for Christmas - I love it!
And I suppose the countdown to break has to be swapped soon for a countdown to back to school... and back to routines. There's good and bad that comes with this, I guess, but for now we'll enjoy tomorrow's countdown before the other one (back to reality - I need to do some work!). We don't have much planned for tomorrow yet, but both big kids want to stay up until midnight (does this mean I have to too?), so we'll have snacks and play games after an earlier version of NYE for Jordan's sake. We had a great Christmas, despite having to forego our annual trip to Bowmanville. The kids were happy to wake up in their own beds and open stockings and presents here at home. They were sad that they didn't get to see Grandma and Gramps or eat dinner at Aunt and Unc's house, but we did our best to replicate the meal. We didn't do a turkey (should have) but had ham instead - everyone eats it! There were all of the sides and the staple-most-delicious dessert too: sticky toffee pudding cake. We have leftovers waiting for me us in the freezer.... yum.
cookies!
cookies cookies cookies
a pre-lockdown outdoor get-together... so good to see each other!
We got a few skates in before lockdown
Jordan is almost skating on his own, hurray!
And I never posted about Hendrik's birthday! He had an outdoor party with some friends which was amazing since kids weren't / aren't getting together much at all outside of school time. The boys (and Steve) met at the park (Doidge) where they ran around and played some games before coming back here for some backyard pizza and cupcakes (and trampoline and presents). He had a great time and it was so nice to see him with a group of friends... yay! We're doing virtual school for the first week back (January 4-8) which should be interesting given the fact that I'm supposed to be doing some synchronous teaching while the kids learn synchronously and asynchronously from 9-3:30. Ha! We'll see... Okay, here are some photos - see you in 2021!!
I never posted after Halloween! Here are some photos - the kids had the best time. I'm so glad that we went out (despite COVID) - it was one of the more memorable Halloweens for several reasons: we walked around as a family, and despite some groans from Hendrik, we had a great time together! The creativity in candy delivery was incredible, and fun too. There were candy chutes, decorated candy shoots (our neighbours around the corner fashioned a dragon with the candy spewing out of its mouth), candy trees and lines, tables, claws and grabbers and lacrosse sticks - all delivering candy! We were also not out for as long as we usually are, so the kids weren't as candy obsessed (I don't think - bonus) and we were home before it was outrageously late.
And, as usual, time is flying. I only have three weeks left in my job (I'm covering a mat leave) so am on the hunt for something new to start in January (fingers crossed). Alana has been doing soccer and loving it, and Hendrik's ball hockey wrapped up a few weeks ago. We have him signed up for an indoor league that starts soon, and this year (finally!) we decided to go for it and sign the big kids up for skiing. (We need to find something for Jordan!) I think the lessons filled up pretty quickly, but were able to snag a few spots - used equipment too - before the mad mad rush. And the weather has been amazing! It has been so nice to feel like we've had an extended fall, even though there have been a few snows. We're having most of the front porch replaced, and it looks amazing! Most of the floor is new, several pillars have new bases, and some spindles and railings have been replaced (thanks to Steve's dad for turning!). ALSO... it's Hendrik's birthday today, so I'd better get going and bake a cake. It's almost time to open presents too! Exciting. We have a 10-year old! I'll have to look back on his birthday posts, and find some photos of Steve and I when we were his age...
