Category - Yada, Yada, Yada

Girls have been busy this week with camp in the mornings at Island Lakes School. It is the first time we have put Ashlyn into something like this but she always came with me to pick up Lexi last year and always wanted to stay so we thought we would give it a try. She did pretty good. I don’t think she said much but she follows directions well and it gave Lexi a chance to earn her big sister stripes. I would hang around in the mornings just until things got rolling and as soon as I told Ashlyn I was leaving she would go right to Lex and grab on. Lexi took good care of her I could tell.

Thursday we picked the girls up early at camp and went to meet up with the Argathal Barthels in Portage. We all picked up a Groupon to the Splash Island Water park. I heard some people talking about this place being some new attraction for the kids and I wanted to check it out. It was just OK for me dog. It’s an old outdoor pool with a couple bigger slides and a kiddie pool. No way I would make that drive and pay the $25 for a family. Get way more bang for your buck at Kildonan Park.

That being said we had a blast there with the Barthel’s. And you know what is good about that drive to Portage? Passing Nick’s Inn on the way there and stopping on the way back for burgers and Greek poutine. Not my favorite burger place but high on the list. The milkshake made the right way brought it right up there. Super fun day.

On the Friday afternoon after camp we took the girls out for Ashlyn’s first bus ride. Seemed like she really enjoyed being on the bus. Honestly it would have been cheaper to take the car but the girls had fun. It was $5.10 each way and all I had was paper money. The first guy just told me to put it in the ticket taker. It’s all digital now and I had no idea where to put the money! The Second driver was pissy and stopped me when I tried to do what the first guy said. “COINS ONLY” he said. Nothing much has changed in the hiring department since I was there I guess. Communication was tip top.

Today we started the day at Cole’s birthday down the street. He had the coolest Star-Wars cake ever. It’s so nice to have good friends on the street and the girls had so much fun playing there. Cole will also be in Lexi’s kinder class next year so it’s nice to see some kids from our neighborhood are going to the same school. It should make things easier for her.

From there we went Mike’s place for his 40th. As always Tara went all out with the signs, the food, the cake, and just for Mike…the candy bar! It was a great spread and as always it was nice to see everyone. The girls played non-stop with everyone’s kids. It was super nice to have all the families out all in one place. Happy 40th buddy, hope you had a memorable night.

Round 1 – The Play Structure

Let me just say for the record that I don’t consider myself to be an example of what a parent should be. I have a 3 year old and a 5 year old and I am still learning what it means to be a “good parent”. Especially in this day and age with all the digital distractions and yoga pants it’s understandable for a parent to make mistakes and drop a few balls. So I can’t really tell you what what a stand out parent looks like…but I sure can spot the shitty ones.

It seems to happen to me all the time too. That, or I am just way too over sensitive to what is going on with my own kids. It seems that every time I am in a public place lately I feel like I am in a crime scene and I am the only one who can see it happening. Like my kids are playing and I am just standing there starring at one infraction after another with my jaw wide open. I feel like I can’t say anything either because I don’t want to freak out my own kids. Sometimes I will lean over and from the side of my mouth whisper covertly to another “good” parent…

“Hey, that kid has no socks on…you see that?”

I have actually told other people’s kids that “we go DOWN the slide, not UP”. “WE” being those of us who follow the rules. I don’t know how many times my kid has slid down into another kid coming up the slide and taken a knee to the face.

“Oh and by the way you need socks on to play here.”

It’s a lot harder for un-parented kids to climb the slide without socks. McDonald’s has a big sign in their Playland and the first rule is: No shoes allowed. Number 2 is: You must be wearing socks. Either most parents don’t read the sign and just know #1 or they don’t care. I think they don’t care. When I read that the first thing I think of is there must be some kind of cleanliness issue there. Kids in sweaty sandals now in bare feet in a place where other kids are crawling around on their hands and knees seems like a bit of a concern. Especially in a place where you are eating before or afterward.

I read an article one mother wrote about how bothered she was when an employee at McDonald’s interrupted her free wi-fi session to tell her that her kids needed socks on the Playland.

I asked her specifically why, since it’s June and it’s hot and who really carries socks around for 5 little kids in the middle of summer anyway except for those anal, uptight, Type A moms we don’t want to know? She said it’s a Health Department issue and they could be shut down. I told her that’s not true. What is it about kid feet that is any grosser than kid hands? And have you taken a look at the nasty McD’s floor lately? Any socks worn there would have to be burned afterward.

I wonder how she would feel if she went to order her Big Mac Combo and noticed that none of the employees were wearing shoes? Well it’s not like they were making the food with their feet. Well after all it is summer, why should anyone wear socks and shoes at work?

I really enjoy reading great parenting advice from a mother who becomes annoyed by the “snotty little girl” who can read and follows adult direction. You really should read the full article to fully enjoy the candor of her personality. It shines in her writing.

Round 2 – The Splash Pad

We went to the splash pad the other day and they have this little slide there for the kids to enjoy. It has a few stairs to get up and it usually accumulates a line of eager beavers who can’t wait for their next turn to plunge. Ashlyn is three and can hardly wait in line to get her teeth brushed at bedtime so I saw this as an ample opportunity to teach her about line-ups. So I stood on the stairs and when she would come running up I would take her little hand and move her behind the person at the back of the line. I would remind her gently that we have to wait for our turn and she was to go right after so and so. She seemed to get this right away and pretty soon I was just standing there and making small adjustments.

Meanwhile the whole time I am teaching this concept to Ashlyn, another little girl figures she can just bypass the line. She would go right to the top and just squeeze in. The lifeguard asked her a couple of times to go to the end of the line and even physically brought her there. To her credit she was maybe 2 going on 3 and didn’t really get it. Mom was just standing at the edge of the pool texting and encouraging with an occasional wave. Her daughter would also hang out at the bottom of the slide after her turn and the lifeguard would be yelling “MOVE PLEASE, YOU HAVE TO MOVE”. Mom just stood there.

My point is this…you may not be the best parent in the world but if you are out in public you should at least try and fake it. Put in a little effort, the other parents would appreciate it.

No wait, I’m not ready yet.

This is really the first holiday Shan and I have taken together as educators. This was the big bonus for taking my EA course and getting a job in the school division. So that our family could be together at Christmas, Spring Break, Summer Holidays. Somehow it all makes sense. During the school year our kids are at day care more than they are at home. Having these holidays together really soften the blow of that reality and over the past couple weeks we have really taken advantage of just being together.

Christmas Eve we went to Nolan’s for our yearly visit with the girls. I don’t realize how much the girls have changed sometimes until Christmas Eve at the Nolan’s comes around. Last year we had a baby who wasn’t even walking. This year they are both running around bouncing off the furniture and serving fresh fruit to everyone. That night when we got home we went back outside to spread our sparkly reindeer food from Kathy across the street. She hands it out to all the kids on the street so it was cool to everyone outside spreading it on their lawn. Lexi loved that. Then we set up some cookies and milk, read “The Night Before Christmas” and off to bed.

Christmas morning Lexi was pumped when she saw that Santa had placed a new bike for her under the tree.

JD and Linda came in Christmas day to spend the night so we had a great visit with them. We saw all the Granny’s and Papa’s and even had breakfast with Nolan on Boxing Day. It was great to see everyone and to see the girls with everyone. We got some crazy news this year just after Christmas about a close friends Mom who passed on Christmas day. It really put things into perspective for me and I made sure that I gave out big hugs and pulled my people in close when saying goodbye. The funeral was beautiful tribute to a beautiful person and I am so sorry for their loss. The strength they found in each other over Christmas was truly admirable.

On the 29th Joel and Jen graciously offered up their place for our annual Christmas get together. Usually we do the restaurant thing but it was a bit late to get reservations this year so big thanks to Joel and Jen for hosting a potluck on such short notice. It was great to get out and see everyone. Nice to skate a couple times with Drew while he was here as well.

Speaking about skating Lexi has been working hard on her skills. There is this amazing little rink at Southdale just for learning to skate. It eliminates all the negative stuff that comes with learning that tends to sometimes discourage kids from learning. Things like frozen feet and testicles. It’s awesome and I have been taking Lexi as much as possible. Hopefully she remains interested and we can get out more and more this winter. I was really surprised how naturally she took to it. She was getting up all on her own the first time. So proud of her.

New Years Eve Shan and I cancelled our “plans” and just had a nice quiet night. We fell asleep on the couch watching “Pawn Stars” in our PJ’s and it was perfect.

My New Years Resolution this year is “to be more flexible”. Take that any way you want.

That being said I made another little observation at a little social gathering this Holiday Season that might influence someone else’s New Years Resolution…

Before the guitar came out!

After the guitar came out!