Wednesday, September 28, 2011
I love my husband
I remember when I first got married, how weird it felt to have a husband and to be a wife. It was a good weird. Now it's weird to think of it any other way. If I didn't have a husband, who would fix the computer when it's not working, or lift the heavy things that need lifting, or open jars that I can't, figure it out if there's a problem with our car, or hug me when I need it?
I'm lucky. I have a smart hard working man. He works really hard. At everything. Not just at school but to support us too. And when he comes home he's so exhausted, but he still hangs out with me. He takes care of me. And he thinks I'm pretty. I think he looks pretty good too. We like to do the same things, which usually includes watching something good and eating something yummy (on occasion, and yes food can make us happy). I always look forward to my time with him, and I never get sick of it. I have a good man, and I'm happy he's mine.
1 comments
Sarahstottle posted @ 8:26 PM
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Just another day
I was just looking back on my blog from last September. Some of the entries are identical. Like, how hard it is to move and not have friends, and being lonely, etc. Also, some of the things I read about, I can't believe it's been a year already since they happened because I feel like it just did. That's a sign of getting older isn't it?
I've been writing in my blog a lot. That's how bored I've been. I like to have free time, but I get stuck into ruts and don't know what to do with myself.
Today I took Adriel to school. Then I came home and did a vigorous workout. I didn't feel like working out. I didn't feel like doing much of anything. Kyle was going to be gone aaaaaaallll day. On days like that, sometimes I feel discouraged about doing the regular things. So to get myself out of feeling like that, I did a hard workout. It worked somewhat, but it also exhausted me. I showered, fumfered, and went to Save On to get some ingredients to make cookies (as per Adriel's request). Came home, put Sloan down for a nap and then the RS pres came to visit me. She's a nice lady. She's a mother of triplets. Originally she had quadruplets but one died after birth. Isn't that crazy? I mean you hear of that happening to people, but this is the first person I've met that had experienced that. We visited for a while. She left. I tried to nap (the kids woke up way too early this morning). Sloan woke me up 20 minutes later. Since our first bike ride he's been asking and asking to go on another one. I didn't really feel like it since I had done a vigorous work out that morning, but we went anyway, to pick Adriel up from school. That is a work out. It's almost all up hill to his school. The way home was fun though, and the only way I would have been able to handle it once adding Adriel's weight to the trailer. When we got home Adriel was all gung-ho about making cookies. I cleaned up and snacked on grapes from my yard. As we started making the cookies I started feeling nauseous. To the point of throwing up. I have no idea why. I don't seem to have the flu. I felt fine after. I kept dinner down. Weird huh? No, I'm not pregnant. Then I went to pick Kyle up from school only for him to leave for work 5 mins later. It's kind of like a mean teaser. We had eggs and pancakes for dinner. After getting sick I didn't feel like making my original meal plan. Now I've just been chillin with the kiddos. Very interesting innit?
Katie introduced me to this breakfast that's on her meal plan for her Insanity thing that she's doing. It's 1% cottage cheese, fruit, this crunchy kashi cereal and flax seeds. It's so good! The cereal adds the perfect crunch. Today I put in nectarine that I bought at the farmer's market. Oh my goodness. Divine. Those nectarines are amazing. Hands down my most favorite fruit in the whole world. I can't even tell you. I wish you could know.
6 comments
Sarahstottle posted @ 7:34 PM
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Yucky Slug
As Laura mentioned in her blog we had a lot of issues with the slugs around our tent while we were camping. At one point I was getting out of our tent and Adriel and Sloan were admiring a slug that was right on our front mat. "Aww." Sloan said in his high adoring voice. I said "No, slugs aren't nice."
"They're not?" he asked.
"No, they're yucky" To which he immediately changed his tone and said "Go back to yours home yucky slug!" Kyle and I really got a kick out of it, and I felt it should be documented. It was especially funny in his gravelly voice and his soft 'R's. That kid has such a personality. I don't know what to do with him sometimes.
Today, I explored the farmer's market with Sloan. We came home with a heavy bag full of fruit and vegetables. After some cleaning, we went for a bike ride. I want to do this regularly. It's good exercise pulling Sloan in the trailer and he likes it too. The only hard part is when I'm huffing up a hill and he wants me to talk to him. I love my bike. I love getting back into the biking world. It's been a long time.
Last night we took Adriel to the bike park. It's a part of the big park by our house. He has been dying to go there for a while. He was so excited to try it out. He had some good wipe outs, but he found some parts he could do, and he loved it. I'm surprised by his drive. A lot of kids would have been discouraged and not wanted to try again after one fall. Not Adriel. Teenagers zooming around him doing all kinds of tricks, and he's not intimidated. I don't know why I'm that surprised. I know I was the same way with my bike when I was young too.
He's doing well in school so far. At first he had a hard time with it being all day. But I think it's getting better now. He's already learned a lot of French. Today he told me how to ask to use the bathroom in French. I'm quite happy with his teacher so far too.
We have people living below us. I may have mentioned this before. I think they might hate us. The guy works nights and I'm sure they can hear us in the early morning. Sometimes Adriel and Sloan wake up and almost immediately start fighting. I'm sure we are loud. They have a 2 year old who sleeps in until 9. Also we share the back yard, which is huge. I like to be able to send my kids out into the yard and not supervise them 100% of the time. The people downstairs have a kiddy pool that's just been sitting there unused since we got here. It now has a lot of sand in it and I've found Sloan in twice fully clothed. I would like them to do us all a favor and put it away!! I'm not sure how that aspect of living here is going to work. I hope we can get along. In other words, I hope they don't hate us.
3 comments
Sarahstottle posted @ 5:01 PM
Monday, September 19, 2011
This last week was a hard week for me. The novelty of the move wore off and the reality set in. Our first Sunday wasn't so great. I was stuck in Nursery (as usual) and didn't really get to meet anyone except for the lady who was filling in the nursery that day. There is no Nursery leader. I fear this will be my calling. Anyway, we found there to be not many young people other than students at UBC and they're basically YSA's. Maybe a few newly weds. There were two kids in nursery other than Sloan. It was shocking to me. So I was feeling like our luck from Winnipeg had run out and this is going to be hard. Kyle's taking six classes and has started working now. I'm grateful that he has found work so easily, but that means I have to get used to him not being around much. So, I was feeling a little lonely.
This week at church was much much better. We were introduced to the ward (we had to stand up- I hate doing that). After a lot of people came and welcomed us. I brought Sloan to nursery and there was a different person filling in. I was thinking "this is going to be a long two hours." Not long after that though someone came in (I think she's in the primary presidency) and she came and introduced herself. She's the mother of twin girls who are almost 4. Her husband is an electrical engineer. We hit it off right away. We talked for a while. It's amazing how much of a difference it can make- to have someone to talk to! After she left I tried to sneak out of nursery. Sure enough I was barely down the hall and I heard Sloan crying. My new friend (her name is Vanessa) was there and she asked if I minded if he cried it out a bit. I said not at all. She said she would keep an eye on things for me and come get me if needed. And that was it. I got to go to the last bit of Sunday School and relief society. He got over it and was fine. A few more weeks and hopefully the battle will finally be over. Don't get me wrong, I know nursery is a very important and special place to be, and if I was asked to do it, I would say yes and I would do my best. But, because ever since Sloan has been in nursery (June of last year) I have been in there too, I really really appreciate going to Relief Society. It makes such a difference on my spiritual well being. Every time I go, I'm always so touched by the spirit and inspired by the lesson. I leave feeling so rejuvinated and uplifted. In RS this week, a lady I had once talked to before sat with me. She works as a substitute teacher at Adriel's school. We talked for a bit before it started. She's really nice. So, I'm not feeling nearly so down about our new ward. Of course, it's hard being the new person and it will take a while before that wears off.
Things really change when you have a child in school. Suddenly you can't be lazy in the morning. You have to get your children dressed, fed, and yourself dressed and out the door by 8:15. Lunches and snacks need to be prepared, bed heads need to be corrected and teeth need to be brushed. Socks and shoes on. You get the picture. Then I get home and it's quiet. It's just Sloan and I. What is this? This is what it was like to only have one again? My little Sloanie is a monkey though. He still loves to get into trouble. But we have some appreciated one on one time and that's nice for the both of us too.
4 comments
Sarahstottle posted @ 1:55 PM
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Kelowna
I know it's about time I write a post. So much has been going on that the thought of writing about it is overwhelming. It has been such a busy summer. I feel like I've been everywhere and back again. There wasn't much time for internet, and as much fun as was had, it feels good to have our own space again, to not be living out of suitcases and to get back into a routine.
I feel as if I should mention something about our move. In the middle of August, I flew back to Winnipeg. After being gone for over a month it felt so good to be home. I had left the house mostly packed and Kyle had pretty much done everything else. The next day we picked up the truck loaded it with some help and cleaned from early morning until late night. And we were out. Things went so much smoother for us this time around. Having a big enough truck for our stuff, for example, makes a difference. When we arrived in Kelowna, there were people from our ward ready to help us unload. Our new place is smaller than our last, so at first it was really overwhelming trying to figure out where everything was going to go. We took it one box at a time, and we also came up with some storage solutions (like my handy husband making big boxes that slide under the kid's bunk bed.) Things are working themselves out and it's beginning to look like a home around here.
I like our neighbourhood. It's quiet, there's a big nice park around the corner and we are minutes away from Walmart, Costco, Superstore, restaurants, the mall, etc. It has been sunny and hot since we got here, so it really doesn't feel like summer is over.
And of course there is my big five year old starting school. Since he's in kindergarten he doesn't start until tomorrow, but that has been perfect, since I've needed the first week to get our situation under control. I was feeling a little anxious because I wasn't able to register him until we got here. I wasn't sure about which schools were good or anything, but I knew I wanted to put him in French Immersion. So I went to the school and registered him on the first day. They had already told me the French was full and I knew registering so late I had little chance of getting him in. So I put him on the wait list and was feeling a little discouraged about it. They made it sound like they might not even have room for him on the English side. So I went home and waited for their call and wondered where else to register him if he didn't get in. But, when they called they told me there was room for him in the French. Exciting! So we went to meet his teacher, Madame Dack. She's very nice and I can tell she loves kids, which is important for a kindergarten teacher. He starts tomorrow. I can't believe it. My life is about to change forever. Sloan and I are going to miss him!!
Since being here, Andrea is helping me get set up in the Okanagan ways. She hooked me up with her peach lady. Fresh, organic peaches. So good. Yesterday I spent the day at her house and had my first canning experience. The first of many. We plan to get together once a week to can, while things are in season. We're making salsa next week. I'm excited about this. I think this is a lifestyle I can get used to. We went out to an orchard market and got more fresh fruit and vegetables. The kids played for a while. Andrea and I relaxed and visited. It was fun.
Winnipeg will always have a special place it my heart. I will miss it- more the people really. As we go to our ward for the first time as a family, I can't help but think of last year and attending the winnipeg ward. I remember feeling like crying as I sat in sacrament meeting, so far from home, thinking about Nanaimo and how that felt nothing like it. But they were so nice to us, we couldn't have asked for nicer, friendlier people, and it quickly felt like home to me. And here we are again. I feel braver this time, or maybe it's because this move wasn't as dramatic for us. We're closer to family, we're back in our home province so it doesn't feel as foreign. That doesn't mean I'm not nervous about it though. I hope we like our new ward.
Our neighbours beside us are really friendly and nice. When they saw me struggling with all my boxes they introduced themselves and took them for me. Turns out they are from winnipeg. Also Adriel's teacher is originally from a city about an hour outside of Winnipeg. Go figures. They don't call it friendly Manitoba for nothing. When things are done in our house, I'll post some pictures.
4 comments
Sarahstottle posted @ 8:04 AM