Every year I do a video for the girls birthdays. Here is Lexi’s 6th year. Love her so much. This video is 20 mins long so you might get the Lexi-Lash watching it. It’s more for family who have asked for it and weren’t able to be at her party.
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It’s 2015 and we are all healthy…today. It was a rough break as far as being sick goes. First Lexi almost 2 weeks straight leading up to the break, then Ashlyn picked up an ear infection. Right after Christmas day it started with Shan and I and we are just starting to feel human again. It was the first time Shan and I have been down at the same time and I can tell you it wasn’t easy with the kids. Pretty sure on the first day they watched 6 movies and everytime they needed something Shan and I just looked at each other like I don’t think I can make it.
We didn’t let that get us down. Christmas was awesome.
It started with 1000brushes.ca – Lexi wasn’t feeling great that day but stepped up to help us deliver all the brushes and paste we collected for Agape Table. It was a truly humbling experience for me and I am sure as the tradition continues the girls will get more and more involved. Watching Lexi walk around with her Santa sack asking people if they wanted their own toothbrush for Christmas warmed my heart. Can hardly wait to do this again next year.
Christmas morning the kids were up bright and early for rip fest. Santa brought Lexi her Pogo Stick and Ashlyn got her baby and her very own copy of “Emma’s Wings”. Lego was also a big hit with Lexi this year so I am excited to see her interested in that. We also go the girls balaclava’s to wear under their hockey helmets and when Ashlyn opened hers up Lexi said “oh look another ninja mask!”.
Christmas Day we all went up to see Grandma before coming back to our place for Christmas Dinner. Just before dinner we had a visit from a group of Christmas Carolers which I thought was a really neat touch. The girls were awe watching them sing. They were raising money for kids in the Philippines so we tipped well hoping they will be back next year!
Celebrated New Years with an extra Nolan’s Hockey on Christmas Eve and some Chinese Food with the Barthel’s. Good times. Big thanks to Nolan for the fireworks on the front street. I am sure my neighbours were impressed. We made it until almost 9pm before putting the girls to bed and then Shan and I almost saw 11:30pm before calling it! So close this year.
Lot’s of love in 2015, I think it’s going to be a doozie.
Photos
This Christmas is coming fast and it’s always a time that seems to hit me hard. Not sure what it is about this time of year but I really seem to put a lot of thoughts together. They’re not bad thoughts per say just thoughts, and lot’s of them. It’s a time where I want the people I care about to know how much I care about them.
Shan and I are lucky to have 2 weeks at Christmas to appreciate our girls and celebrate another year. We have always talked about something we can do to teach our girls about what Christmas is all about. We are not God fearing people so I don’t mean the whole bedtime story that the Church delivers on Christmas Eve. Nor do I want to focus too much on Santa, his list, or his “Elf On The Shelf”. I don’t really want to teach the kids about Christmas at all…I want them to FEEL what Christmas is all about.
This year 1000brushes.ca was born. Nolan has been talking to me for years about all of the things he does for Agape Table and I have always wanted to help out too. I was looking at their website and noticed that other people are helping out where they can too. I was really inspired by the campaign Great West Life did. They wanted to “knock the socks” of Agape’s list of most needed items. So I checked the list this year and noticed that Toothbrushes and toothpaste were topping the list. I figured it would be super cool to ask people for extra toothbrushes they had around the house and then go to Agape on Christmas Break with the girls and hand them out to people who need them. The girls loved this idea and they have been counting and sorting them as they come in. So far we are well over 1000 brushes and nearing the same amount of paste! The response has been overwhelming.
Don’t get me wrong, my girls will still be spoiled at Christmas but they will also get to meet some people more excited to see a little girl with a toothbrush than sweet Santa himself. They will also spend lot’s of time with family, see their friends, and feel a rush of deja vu as they sit down for another Christmas dinner.
This one goes out to Scott Sullivan who will join the 40’s this weekend. One of the original 3 Pistols this man is a legend and I am happy to call myself his friend. Happy birthday Sully…
My Grandma suffers from dementia and has been placed in an constant care facility. I have been up to visit a few times but it doesn’t feel like I am visiting someone I know. She seems to know who I am by the way she waves at me when I come in. She may be waving at me or the guy she knows that brings her strawberry Menchies. She never says my name anymore but she talks about people in the family. Lexi came with me today and Grandma talked about Marcy being outside and cousin Tracy was in the attic. She couldn’t remember Lexi’s name but introduced her as her granddaughter. In between mouthfuls of frozen yogurt she told us stories about the baby in the office and how she was going home today.
I love seeing her and I know our visits are limited but I feel so depressed in that building I can hardly stand to be in there. It’s a scene out of the Walking Dead with Zombies wandering about, slowly and sure footed, staring blankly ahead. Contained only by and elevator they can’t manipulate on their own. It’s down button covered by a piece of plexi-glass with a small hole drilled in and lined up with the button. Lexi watched a nurse use a straw in the hole to call the elevator and summoned it herself on our way out but to it’s residents a complex puzzle.
I sit amazed just watching. Today they gathered around a TV to watch some vintage Barbara Streisand movie. It was just like when Rick was stuck in the tank and zombies all zeroed in on him. Then when the elevator opened and we stepped out a few heads tuned into us and one was Grandma. From our table I watched as some walked patterns and others slept in chairs not even waking up to cough. One came to us immediately, drawn to Lexi like a poppy in a field of grass. One who walked a pattern yelled from the hallway “SHUT UP!” and then just hobbled around keeping to herself, not saying a word. It looked difficult for her to get around but she didn’t stop moving the entire time we were there. Eventually she passed our table closely and as she passed whispered softly and without looking at me “your child is beautiful”. Her back was already to me as I said “thank you…”. She went on walking aimlessly as if all these bodies were empty just bumping off one another completely unaware of each other.
Another lady with a walker came over and sat down right beside me. She said “It looks like your little girl likes this movie.” “Yes”, I said. Then she said “I’m just going to sit here next to you and when this is over you can get me outta here!”
Not long after that a lady in a wheelchair came over and couldn’t get by the walker. When she went to move my grandma became agitated and yelled at her that it wasn’t her walker and to leave it alone. She seemed really annoyed. I wondered how often she was in these conflicts. Another lady who really seemed to have her wits about her wheeled over another really agitated lady who pointed a finger sort of in my direction and asked me if I was her brother. I was confused at first and just shook my head NO and he asked the lady pushing her what I looked like but before she could answer she said “it’s not him, he would be hugging me right now if it was him…it’s not him…” – I had no idea what to say but my heart broke for her. I hoped he was coming.
When it was time to leave I put on Lexi’s jacket and told Grandma we were heading out and she said “OK let me grab my coat”. I explained she couldn’t come and Lexi pushed her back in front of the tank with the others. I pulled her up in her chair again to straighten her up and we hugged and kissed her goodbye. Lexi called the elevator with the straw like magic and as the door closed in front of us she waved again with Lexi’s paper gold medal in her hand.
A woman who worked there stopped me on the way out and asked my relation to my grandma and I told her. She said to me “she’s the best! Has she always been so funny?” – “More than you know…” I told her, “more than you know!”.
I looked for her in the window on the way out because she used to like watching the people come and go but I don’t think she could get there on her own. I wondered if she was in there today, I mean really in there.
Man where did that long weekend go? I had a really short week too but it flew by.
Last Sunday when I got back from hockey Lexi on the couch with her leg elevated so I knew something was up. I didn’t have to get much closer to see one of her toes veering off to her right. It was clearly broken. It happened on my parents watch too and I felt so bad for them because that stuff is going to happen no matter what but they felt so bad about it. Apparently Lexi was goofing off on my exercise ball and went feet over tea kettle and smashed her foot on the TV stand. This was after being told several times not to touch that ball. Karma has no age limit obviously.
So I took her to the walk-in Monday morning and after some x-rays (and a second opinion) they sent us to Pan-Am to see a “specialist”. They suggested Children’s but I don’t want to sit in emergency with that respiratory thing going around. Just my luck we would be sitting in there waiting to have a toe looked at and we pick up something worse. We chose Pan-Am and it wasn’t too bad. Lexi would not give up the toe for freezing so with my help and one other nurse the doctor chose to “set it” without. I will never forget the sound of that scream but it was over quick and I was so proud at that moment. She calmed right down and walked out of that place on her own. It was awesome. We went to visit Nolan at work (where she always gets spoiled) and then out for a nice lunch. I would have done anything for her that day and it was nice to just have some Lexi time. That happened on Monday and Tuesday when I came to pick her up at daycare she was wearing her boot and running around the gym like a nut.
Saturday night was Vanessa’s social so we were out for a late on. I think we got home close to 2am and I was up with the kids around 7:30am. I didn’t drink a thing (thank God) but I am still feeling the affects. Just can’t do that anymore. The social was good and being at the TYC (Tijuana Yacht Club) brought back some doozie memories. Like the night Mike’s sister seduced me on the dance floor there. Good times. If that wasn’t nostalgic enough I ran into Juan Portilo there who I haven’t seen since the “Boogie Nights” era. He still has the moves he’s just a little more reluctant to let them out. Joel met me there and we mostly watched the Jets get spanked by the Sharks and a couple of girls spanking each other on the dance floor. It was a great night and I think Vanessa and Tristan did good on the night. I know they got my PS4 money.
Sunday night we went to JD and Linda’s for an impromptu Thanksgiving Dinner. I met Shan and the girls after hockey and then Mike, Tara, and the kids arrived shortly after. It was a nice visit and I was very thankful for getting in a turkey dinner Gladys would have been proud of…ketchup and all. What I really wanted was a hot turkey sandwich but figured I should class it up some.
Today we tested Ashlyn again at the movies. We went to see “BoxTrolls” and I was surprised at how well she did considering it wasn’t a great movie for her age. It was a bit dark. She said she liked it but I think she feels compliant because I gave her such a hard time the last time we went to the movies and she was intolerable. She fell asleep near the end of the movie and I can’t say I blame her. Overall she was awesome.
Man it hurt to miss this one. Congrats fellas!
What a summer! Probably one of the best ever. We did whatever we wanted to this summer and it meant that sometimes we got home from the lake just in time to pack up and do it all again. No complaints from these lake girls!
The summer went like this: Rushing River, Sioux Narrows, Grand Beach, Vegas, The Rattes, Epic 40th Bday, Great Woods Park, and one last stint at Grand Beach because we liked it so much. We tried to stuff the 2nd last week with as much camping as possible. GWP is one of those spots we hit every summer. The water was really low but we set up in the river and the girls played in the water for hours. Eryn and the kids came out on the Wednesday so Lexi and Ashlyn were thrilled to have their friends out there. Mike and the kids also came later in the day for a quick swim and a campfire so that was awesome too.
We were back on Thursday for Shan’s Norwex Party and then Al and I headed back out Friday with Ashlyn and Haddon. We set up camp and hit the sack after a campfire with the kids. At about 4am we wake up to our camp being trashed by a bear. It takes off as soon as we scramble but the dining tent is trashed and I have to go out and retrieve the cooler and put it in the van. He came back a couple more times looking around for more and we just kept trying to get a visual on him and he would just keep vanishing. It was a little unnerving with the kids in trailer. The girls came up on Saturday and despite the rain we hit the beach and made another fire. Joel, Jen, and Mike came up for the fire and stayed pretty late despite the downpour. It was epic. Packing up the next day in the rain…not so much.
Shan and I went out last night for our 8th anniversary and we were talking about how much we have done over the last couple of months and how lucky we are to have this time with the girls. I wonder what they will remember most? Going back to work next week will uncover all that I have taken for granted this summer forsure!
OK, Shan hates when people ask me “how was Vegas?” – I usually go on a rant about taking the bus in that heat, how the Luxor can’t take a reservation, and just an overall lack of WI-FI. Truth is we had a great time with great friends and the city is something you have to see at some point in your life. I loved the people from all over the world I chatted with while sipping whip cream drinks at 9am playing poker tournaments each morning we were there.
We ate and drank like kings from “Ramsey’s Burgr” and food as far as the eye can see at the “Spice Market Buffet”. Also had an amazing lunch at a place outside Caesars Palace called “Serendipity” worth visiting for their frozen hot chocolate. I even went Lone Wolf one day and took auntie Barb’s advice to check out the In & Out Burger just off the strip. I was talking to a local in front of me in line and he told me to order “Animal Fries”. Apparently there is some kind of secret menu they don’t advertise but is still available if you ask for it. Don’t let anyone tell the shake is something special there though. Also the place was packed to the balls and although the food was good and cheap it still wasn’t worth the 30 minute wait in line. Glad I went though if that makes sense, it was something I had to check out.
Do’s and Don’t in Vegas
- Groupon like a savage before you leave. Spice Market Buffet has a great one, or at least they did.
- fly direct.
- Take the bus or cab to a supermarket off the strip and buy a bunch of water, fruit, snacks, for the hotel. Price of a bottled water at the hotel was $4.
- Wear comfy shoes. There is a lot to see and everything is further than it looks.
- Walk indoors whenever possible. Most of the hotels are linked by skywalks and trams.
- Cabs can be hard to get at night at the busy places like the MGM. Walk across to the Flamingo and get a cab no problem.
- There are $45 poker tourneys throughout the day. Good way to extend the playing time and down some drinks on the casino.
- At the Luxor the big $20 drinks you buy at the casino for the refills are not allowed in the pool area. There is another $20 cup you need there. You can avoid this by taking the plastic cups from the pool and two-fisting those on your way in.
- Careful flushing the toilets at the Luxor.
Shan and I went to this show called “Zombie Burlesque” at the MGM. It was the best show we saw on the trip and I would highly recommend it to someone heading out there.
It was so good to see Mel and Jeff too considering we haven’t seen them since our wedding. Joel and Jen met them for the first time and it was like we had all been friends for years. Jeff even said how much he enjoyed meeting Joel and Jen and just how easy the whole trip was. A trip I will truly remember for a long time.
Of course we missed the kids while we were there and after almost a week away it was great to reunite with them. Huge thanks to Gerrie for looking after the girls and making it possible for us to go on this adventure. It was awesome and overwhelming all at the same time.
Thanks to Mark Nault for the nomination. I nominate Mike Dickenson, Bryan Gould, and Darryl Porter.
