A Corner Table in My World

As I’ve mentioned multiple times over the past year or so, the Corner Table Kids are becoming increasingly busy with extracurricular sports and activities – both through school and through community organizations. Heli Dad and I support and encourage their interests. We want them to be interested, active, happy, and healthy. And yes, as a result, we are ever-increasingly busy. Some parts of the year we’ve got one Kid or another at practice, meetings, games or tournaments every day of the week, and some weekends too.  Just this past Friday Angel Face and Princess both had games for their particular sports at the same exact time, but in two different towns… But you know what? We managed to get both of them where they needed to be, when they needed to be there, and though it required some extra communication and finagling of schedules with other family members, we did it. (Shout out and major thanks to Auntie Lil’ Sis and Uncle Mech Man!!) We did it because when our children...

The fall slipped past us all in a rush, filled with a variety of uncertainties, discoveries, excitement, fun and hope. We were busy - oh boy, were we busy, but our down time really was spent together and taking care of one another. We lucked out not to suffer to often or to greatly with any illnesses and despite some occasional aches and pains stemming from workplace or sport injuries, Heli Dad and all the kids made it through to the holiday season healthy, happy and intact.  As for me… Well, I told you all last spring that Heli Dad and I had finally decided to take a leap and try to conceive again. In the end it didn’t take too terribly long for it to happen either. In early September we began to consider the possibility that we may be pregnant again and by the later half of the month we had it confirmed - we were indeed growing another addition to the family. Because of my history with early term miscarriages and rough pregnancies, we told no one except our closest family me...

For most of the summer I continued to get up with Heli Dad in the mornings, simply to see him for a few minutes before he left for work for the day. Then I decided that if I only had a couple weeks left of summer holidays with the kids - aka: a couple weeks before I'd have to start getting the kids up and motivated in the mornings for school, I would spend them sleeping in. You know, mom sleeping in until 8:30 or 9am.  This week with back to school (check out the Corner Table Kids hamming it up for their first day of school picture) I've slowly managed to get myself back to getting up before Heli Dad leaves for work, if only to give him a hug and kiss goodbye. Which he appreciates and it's something I've come to realize is really important too - because honestly somedays that hug and kiss is one of only a couple intimate moments we have throughout the day. We've only finished the first week of school but already I can see that there are days that I'm going to be...

It occurred to me while I was trying to write a post recently – one that included most, if not all, of our (still growing) immediate family on both sides, that there are now quite a lot of us AND when telling stories it can get very confusing to follow precisely who is involved. So I decided it might be worthwhile to write up something of a list of common “characters” that I talk about: family members mostly just from the immediate family. Here we go… The Corner Table Family Writer Mom (me) & Heli Dad (my hubs) Kids: Princess, Gamer Boy & Angel Face Pets: Sphinx & Jude (cats) Writer Mom’s Family Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) Pets: various cats on The Farm Big Sister and Bro (my older sister & her hubs) Kids: Big Babe, HG & Genie Pet: Rufus (dog) Little Sister and Boyfriend (my younger sister & her boyfriend) Pet: Juno (dog) Heli Dad’s Family Grams (his mom) ...

While I do have some photos and stories to share from the holidays, something I'll do soon, I first have to talk about something else....  The break from school was something that my children obviously needed. Before the holiday break I had two little girls who were behaving like sullen teenagers (and okay, one of them is nearly there but God not YET) and a boy who was well behaved (because he had goals...) but was increasingly frustrated with his sisters, school and even some of his friends.  Getting the girls up and moving for school was a FIGHT every day. Getting any of them to do their chores was damn near impossible. There were a lot of threats and 'time-outs' spent alone in bedrooms - for all three of them.  But then we had a really good holiday break.  We spent almost all of the time together as a family. Chores were done together, games were played together, competitions were had (between the kids), and there were only a couple nights we weren't ...

Swimming is one of few activities that everyone in our family almost always enjoys. I personally love swimming, both as a fun activity and for exercise, and as my kids have been growing up its been one thing I've been pretty insistent on them learning to do safely and properly. (Especially as rafting/boating is one of Heli-Dads very favorite summertime activities with the kids!) Vistas like this are a daily find and you know, I LOVE that they love it so much. Swimming lessons have been one of the kids key summer programs over the years and this summer is no exception. This year Princess and Angel Face have elected to continue lessons after school starts too so they will be logging pool hours like crazy this fall. Actually we probably all will be at the pool a lot because the kids convinced grandma to spring for a swim pass for the family and they are determined we will use it atleast once a week, if not more.  While the girls will be swimming (and possibly more) t...

School has been out for the kids for almost a month now, with just over a month left of "summer holidays" for more adventures and summer time fun! Want to see some of what we've been up to so far?  There's been some camping, some summer camp for the kids and a lot of family time at home...  Gamer Boy insists on his games! Summer rains give us some pretty sky views. A hammock rigged up in the back yard gives the kids some where to simply hang around!  Yeah this is what happens when it's really hot and Writer mom has no desire to cook ANYTHING!  A smoky view at The Farm... The gorgeous view from near Heli Dad's home town - which should explain why we spend as much time as we can there during the summer!  Summer calls for ice cream! It screams for ice cream!!  Princess loves her horses...  And this year she has shared her love of riding with Angel Face!!  Yikes! Princess is growing up wa...

Summer sports and activities have always been a cinch in our family - swimming, rafting, hiking, biking, camping, etc... There's never been a shortage of things to do or new things to try during the summer.  But Winter - those long, cold months that (especially in Canada) can seem to stretch endlessly on, have consistently posed a problem. The kids enjoy tobogganing , especially at the farm, and sledding usually includes some minor fort and snowman building , but that only uses up a couple hours and while it can be fun Heli Dad and I only enjoy this type of cold day play for short bursts.  Not to mention that the kids inevitably argue over the best sleds, the best method of building a snow home, or the correct and best way to accessorize the snow people.  And those are just arguments that neither Heli Dad or I want to stick our (by then) freezing noses into. We've tried ice skating ... A couple times.  Princess liked it right off.  Gamer Boy eventually de...