Posted in Just life...

Oh I wish I could give good news about contracting but the kind of work we are doing has nothing with computers and programming unfortunately.

For those who don't know, we collect comics.  Mind you it has been years since we bought new ones and recently I've discovered that HULK was red at one point. 

A few years ago, we bought about 186 boxes of comics for a really good price and sold some during a garage sale.   Out of these we have about 35-40 boxes we kept to create two separate collections to sell eventually.   The work we have right now is to bag the comics and price them (we are still waiting for the price guide to come in) and open our basement for potential buyers. 

And let me tell you it is a BIG job.   Alexandre is very helpful and the three of us can do a lot in one afternoon but we are still only three.   We are almost done going through collection #2.  Now my job is to try to place in alphabetical order the 10-15 boxes at one corner of the basement.

So we are having fun.   The funniest thing is that right now it makes me want to read some comics.   It has been a long time since I did that.  

Posted in Just life...

These past two days, hubby and I attended the Leadership Summit at a church in the area.   It was indeed a breath of fresh air for us.   We needed to be lift up and encourage.   We needed to be mentored by various leaders both in the church and business side of things.   It was a great two days with some speakers I liked more than others.

For example, there is that young entrepreneur who created a website so that people can give loans to people who can't have some from the bank.   Entrepreneurs who want to do better for their families in countries where poverty is rampant.  The site is KIVA.ORG .  It's worth looking into it.

The other speaker I really liked was Harvey Carey who is the pastor at the Citadel of Faith Covenant Church in Detroit, MI.   He pastors a church in the poorest zip code, in the poorest city, in the poorest state of the US (according to him).   Anyhow, this guy predicted that he would be our expresso with no sugar or milk and honestly he was.   WoW!  So much energy.   The story that impressed me the most is when he told about getting his congregation together to go camping and eat smores in from of crack houses.   They did it multiple times and the crack houses are now close...   *grin*   Obviously people didn't went to buy drugs when you had a bunch of people singing Kumbala and eating smores in front of it...  Or the three white ladies from the suburbs who drove to go in the are at 1 am to minister to prostitutes.   WoW!   One thing for sure - if we ever go spend some time in Detroit, I plan to visit his church.   Thanks Harvey!

I really like the brothers Chip and Dan Heath who spoke about their upcoming book Switch.   I had printed the introduction to their previous book Made to Stick.   I'm impressed by what I read and heard that I want to get their books.  

Bono was once again part of the group.   Returning after 3 years.   He shook the church by his interview back in 2006 and many churches stood up and did something for the poor.  He was impressed saying "I didn't think it would wake up the sleeping giant and that the giant would run so fast."  Still Bono is not attached to a specific church so pray that he will find is fit somewhere...

Wess Stafford - president of Compassion International...  What can I say about him?   He moved me to tears and I cried while he told his story.  Mostly he was talking about pain.  And many didn't know the abuse he experienced when he was young.   Someone would think the abuse was from his parents but no.... it wasn't.   His family didn't know about it for many years...   He even didn't talk about it for decades before opening up.   All the participants receive a copy of his book Too Small To Ignore.   I am quite excited to read it.

Also on site,World Vision was there.   We got a Poverty and Justice Bible where more than 2000 verses in it are marked.  Verses speaking about poverty and justice.   It's an interesting concept.   Also in it, there is a special section where you can find Poverty and Justice in 3-D.  They are devotional on specific verses with discovery about an issue, time to think about it and taking action as well.   I intend to do some with the kids during the school year.

These were my highlights from the Leadership Summit.   There were other good ones but these people touched me in way I wouldn't have expected.   We also got a DVD about FIRING, HIRING AND BOARD MELTDOWNS.   Since we have both a business and a church we thought it would be good to go through it.

I feel refreshed indeed in my soul.

As for the smell of paint... well when arrive on Thursday - the dining room and hall-way had a first coat of paint.  Yesterday the dining room was completed.   So it smell paint in the house...  And we are not done.   More to come!   Like the hallway and kitchen today.  

I'm blessed.   I have the greatest in-laws in the whole wide world.   Sorry guys!  They are mine.   And all their children are married....

Posted in Just life...

We are on vacation as I write this.   It's pass 9pm EST and I'm blogging.   One of my kids just sneezed. 

Vacation.  AhhhhH!   Much deserved and much needed too!

Mind you I feel like we are running around since we arrived but we are having fun as a family and that's what matter.

We are camping.  We rented the place for a whole month.   There is much to do in the area.   So far we went to Marineland twice, went to see the Falls, saw the 4th of July fireworks, went to Rochester twice to go through the Museum of Science (for free since we have membership in our city for other museums) as well as Churchville to stop by the CampingWorld, went to the botanical garden in Niagara Falls.   We also went to the Oneida outlet to check it out because it was closing down and we found some new utensils. 

Not sure what we will do tomorrow.    But in case anyone are wondering why I am not updating my blog... the reason is simple.  I'm vacationing....

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... well usually it's not that busy but this past week-end we had something on Saturday and on Sunday.

SATURDAY

Homeschool conference in my area.   My in-laws looked after the kids while hubby and I went to the conference.   It was a one-day thing this year and I was a bit disappointed with the reduced numbers of vendors this year.   Sad.   On the other hand I went to great sessions and we got all the curriculum I had on my list.   We are officially ready for grade 3 and Senior Kindergarten with a bit of Junior Kindergarten.   I was surprised to see some products from Memoria Press there as well as Artistic Pursuits.   Interesting.   I had comments from people telling me they look forward to my reviews in the Newsletters and one lady said she is seriously thinking to ge tthe Spears Art Studio for her daughter who loves to draw.   Super!  I told her again that it was totally worth it.    I also won a price foro being there but by the time my name got out - there wasn't much left so I got 2 subs from Subway for free and we had free supper... *grin* I also made contact with NECTAR Foundation and got some free software to reviews from them.   And the guy also gave me a little bag with pink lemonade as a thanks for reviewing the products.    I got 4 CDs in French from him and I also have a bunch in English to look into as well.   So it was productive.   Hubby also made contact with the rep from HSLDA - they talked a lot and connected well I think.   Interesting.

Sunday - We packed the kids and drove to Montreal to visit my mom.   It went well I think.   I shall see how it goes in the weeks to come.   My poor Alexandre asked us when we will see her again and if it will take 1 year.  He is at the age of understanding more.   I told him it wasn't my decision and we will go with what happens.   He was crying.  He is my big softy child - very attached to people.  Dominic though asked my mom when she will die, hubby told him we don't know when we die and asked him who decides this.  He said Jesus.   Sweet.   At 5 he already have a great thinking.    We went to the Biodome during the afternoon.   Being a while since we went.   We got a family membership and can go as often as we want during the year with free entrance to the Botanical Gardens in June and free entrance to the Planetarium in November.   We came back at 9pm.   Tired.  Hopefully it doesn't take too long to get back in our routine.

Today - we have a visit to the dentist.  Five of us...   Only Jasmine is spared from it...

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Well... we were supposed to go down visit my mom but hubby is sick - real bad... and he doesn't sleep that well so we postponed the trip.   Myoldest was quite upset by the wait but it's for the better.   Hubby is miserable believe me!    He took a nap yesterday and again today.   He took care of me so well when I was down with sinusitis and vertigo... I feel real bad that I woke him up yesterday.   I could have just drive to his parents for Easter supper and not wake him up.  Leave him a note so he could join us later.   But no I was just selfish and woke him up at 3:35pm.   Geez what's wrong with me?  Stressed.   Definetively.  

On another matter - did you ever realized the stressed upside down is spelled desserts.   No I will not give in to desserts.   I'm trying to loose weight.  If I do eat - I'll count my points I promise...

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5 years ago, you entered the world and since then you are a delight.   You brighten the room with your marvelous smile.    I love you and I wish you a marvelous birthday.    You are planning to go play mini-putt with your dad and brothers later this afternoon and look forward for your gifts....    You are excited with the cake I made for your birthday party and I am glad that you like it.   Pirate theme it is....  ARRRRG!

Posted in Just life...

It has been a while since I wrote a more personal blog....   Feels as though I have less time about doing this.   But I love doing the reviews and I think I will miss it when it is finished.   The TOS Crew has been a wonderful experience and I am already thinking of other possibilities...

In the meantime, even though I am taking my Vitamin D daily since the big news of it's potential benefits last year (reducing depression during winter time, possibility of reducing cancer if you have family who has it as well as better assimilation of the calcium...) it seems I have hit rock bottom.    I am tired easily and moody like I never been before.    I'm thinking pre-menopause but my doctor thinks it's too early...   Oh I did tell him that I had my first periods REALLY early in life but he wasn't convinced.   When I went to see him, it was mid January.    Haven't had a period since mid-november which was before my surgery...   Possible pregnancy?    I doubt it because hubby went to a vasectomy earlier that year but there is a 0.01% chances of reconnecting (1 every 2000).   We did home pregnance test and it was negative.  So when I went to the doctor, he said "Never know so let's do a blood pregnancy test... as well as check iron and other little things."   So I went for the blood test...  Negative and nothing else showed up.   The next day I had a bit of spotting for a couple of days.   Since then nothing.

I feel depressed, tired and moody.  My sleep is not so great either these days which doesn't help the tired part... Signs of pre-menopause from what I read.   So now I wait.   And try to find myself...

I'm turning 40 in March.   And somehow it seems to hit me.   Never really had a birthday party in my life.   Well 1 back in 5th or 6th grade.   Can't even remember much about it.   I have mixed feelings about a party so at first I told hubby to just forget about it.   So scrap the surprised...  he gave up.   Me?   Got more mixed up about it.   Just had a talk with him and he thinks that deep down I want one.   So we will do one but not a surprise...   I'll go with the flow.   I just wish I could celebrate with my friend Heidi who has the same birthday as me but is one year younger...  Love ya girl!  Honestly, I'm bless to share that special day with her even though she is in PA, USA and I am in ON, Canada.   What are the chances to have a friend who has the same birthday as you?

For now, I need to think about Dominic's 5th birthday later in February.   I want to make him a pirate ship cake...   Gotta find a model on the net somewhere...

And if you know anyone going through the same thing as me.  Please tell them to tell me their story.   I need to know I'm not the only one going through this...  Thanks.

Posted in Just life...

Soy....   This is something new in our household simply because our little Jasmine is having a reaction on the milk protein in the formula.   All my other kids drank milk but it looks like Jasmine might not...

It started about 2 months ago...  Formula in the morning was oka, lunch time I could see that there was a bit of redness in her face but nothing else... in the evening though - that was another story.   The red splashed on her upper body but when we was done with her bottle... without finishing it most of the time, it would disappear.    At first we thought that it was because we got some Parent's Choice Formule (Wal-Mart brand) - which was a first because usually we always get the Kirkland one (Costco brand).   So at one point I drove to Costco and bought some from there...  Same reaction.

About a week ago, I took her to see our family doctor and discovered that she was not tolerating the milk protein.   Great!   Now what to give her.   He suggest to me that we go with Soy.    Soy is not something new in Rob's family because our 2 nieces-to-be can't tolerate the protein in the milk either so I called my sister-in-law and asked her some questions...

Because Jasmine is so close of being 1 year old, the doctor said I could go directly to the Soy beverage not the Soy formula.   So I got one Soy Beverage from the grocery store and gave her some...   She dunked it!!!   Surprise for me since she usually never finished her bottle.   Now she drinks 9 ounces morning, lunch and supper time... WoW!   And you know what I realized this week-end...  she is taking weight - good.   I thought she was a bit small too!   Now her 12 months old pants are holding on her waist while before they would fall down.  

And the best is that the red splashes are gone!   Completely gone!  Hip Hip Horray!

I am so happy that we figure out the problem.... even if it means she will have to dring Soy for many years. 

Posted in Just life...

It's 520am right now... EST that is.

But I woke up at 4am or so... stayed in bed as much as I could ... but I couldn't go back to sleep.   Mind as well get up and write a review (which I did).   Now, I am waiting.   Starving but I can't eat.... you see my surgery is today!

So I need to be at the hospital at 8am.    And make sure I am there on time because if not - I will beb bumped.   Kids are at the inlaws...  Weird to have a house without kids around....  sooooo quiet suddenly.

My surgery time is at 10am.   I learned yesterday that they will put a catheter behind my knee and I will have some sort of bottle with anesthetic in it for 48 hours...   Hubby will have to remove the catheter himself... and if there is problem when doing so on Friday - go to the hospital!   Great!    This thing is as big as a baby bottle (more larger though) and will contain anesthetic for the leg... bottom line is that I won't feel a thing with this for 48 hours.   Then another 24 hours to get back the sensation in the leg.   MmmmM!   Not sure I will enjoy this.   When I had the same kind of surgery on the left foot when I was 17 (or was it 18) I didn't had it.   I just endured the pain.   I guess there is a lot of people who don't want any pain.   Mind you that was 18/19 years ago.... and it was in Quebec so things have changed since then... but in my personal live (well I do live in Ontario now!) and in the medical world....

So I am having a forefront reconstruction and bone graft...   Below is my x-ray that was done earlier this year!   See my right foot?   That's the one who will get operated this morning.    Left one was done when I was a teenager but what a job it was... not so great.   So my right big toe is turning towards my left foot.   My doctor will correct that which explains the bone graft.   She will use part of the bone she will remove to fix the toe.  

I should be back at home sometime this afternoon.   Groogy more than likely but we shall see.   Than it's 6 weeks in a partial cast.   I bought a boot and my crutches yesterday.   I had to wash my feet for 3 minutes last night and another time with something different today...  Boy!   Let me tell you that I never washed my feet for that long before.   3 minutes is a looooong time believe.  Try it just for fun!!!!   It's unbelievable.   3 minutes on 1 foot.   Geeez!    Make sure you time it... but doing this it's take quite some time... LOL

Posted in Just life...

This week-end is a long week-end here in Canada.   It's out Thanksgiving.   Honestly, I am wondering why our Thanksgiving is not at the same time as the US...   If anyone know - please write me a note I am extremely curious about this...

We started Thanksgiving week-end with a trip to see the butterflies.   Then yesterday I worked - yep you are reading right... - worked on the accounting of the business.   It has to be done asap and hubby was willing to care for the children.  Me doing accounting and caring for the children - it's not working.   I need to be alone and quiet.  No distractions...   So I was able to bring this a little more closer to completion but I still have some work to do.   Which I will do today because we had church last night!

On the homeschool front - it's okay but I need to organized myself a little bit more I think.  I need to spend more time with Dominic on his letters and numbers.   Alexandre is able to do some things I give him.  

On the crew side of things - it has started.   I already wrote a couple of reviews, send one to the newsletter of my homeschool association (I love it!) and I am waiting for other things to come my way.   Right now I have some things to read - a homeschooling course for new parents considering homeschooling.  Sounds interesting and I am sure I can learn lots from it too since I am in my 2nd year of homeschooling.   You know what I was thinking the other day when I was writing the latest review?   It feels like when I was working on the school paper when I was in high school.   LOL!   The funniest thing is that I have found all the school papers we have written back in 1985-1986 - ouch!  

One of the products that will be reviewed by some of the crew is a course on how to write a novel.   Wish I could get that one on my hands - I am having so much fun writing these days...   But this products is for highschoolers I think and I don't have one.    So for now, I will wait and be patient to see what is sent my way.    Lots of good vendors have signed up.  So keep and eye on my blog to read more reviews!