Wow I can’t believe we have been married 10 years…it is such a big round number.  I love even numbers, and ones ending in zero are the very best.  It is quite amazing to me that after 10 long years I am still madly in love, and even more so, I still really like my husband.  He still makes me laugh so hard I make weird snorting sounds…which he then mocks.  I think having a partner that makes you laugh is one of the keys to making it work.  Over the years we have had a pretty smooth ride, we have not really had to weather anything too serious, but I still feel like we have what it takes to make it in the long run.  No matter what is going on, no one gets me better than him, no one is prouder, or likes me more, or gives me a harder time.  He never lets me just sit and stagnate, he always pushes me to change the things I don’t like and is absolutely outraged and protective when anyone does anything remotely offensive towards me.  He really is my best friend and I am so happy and lucky to have found him.  Happy 10th Anniversary Baby!!

My beautiful sweet brave daughter had to have a tooth pulled yesterday afternoon.  She had an adult molar coming in at an angle and a baby tooth molar was still in the way.  As soon as it started to hurt I made an appointment to get it out as quickly as possible so she wouldn’t have a lot of time to worry about it.  Worrying runs from me to her quite honestly .

She was amazing during the extraction and was so brave and I was so proud of her.  On the way home she asked me if this still counted for the tooth fairy.  Now let me just cut in here and say that she has always known that I was the tooth fairy.  When she was quite little she asked me if the tooth fairy was real.  I asked her what she thought.  She told me she thought I was the tooth fairy and I told her she was right but it was still fun to pretend so we have always kept up the charade.  When I told her yesterday that this tooth definitely qualified, she was quite happy.  When I went to get the tooth last night, she had left us a note:

Dear Madame Tooth Fairy,

Sorry Tooth Fairy, I lost the pillow so I put it in clown guy.  But maybe you could give me your phone number then maybe we could be friends!!

—————-

A few words of explanation – we have a pillow to put the tooth in that hangs on the bedroom door, but we couldn’t find it so she put the tooth in a little box that is shaped like a clown car and has a little ceramic clown in it.

Really though, I thought that was the cutest note ever, and of course I responded with a note back from the tooth fairy saying that I didn’t carry a cell phone but she could always leave the tooth fairy notes with her Mother.  I love my kids!!

We went to see Wicked last night and it was so great!  I just loved it, it was funny and the music was amazing and catchy…the lead singers were excellent.  Nothing worse than a musical with not great singers.  This one met all the criteria, even the sets were truly oustanding – they were beautiful!  I loved all the sparkly green.  Glinda had the best dresses and I found myself wishing that I had just one of her Cinderella-type gowns and tiaras.  So sparkly and pretty.

Every time I see a great musical I find myself thinking about how breaking into song is a really fun thing to do.  I wonder why we don’t do it more in our daily life.  Imagine a long meeting at work where everyone is just droning on and you lost track ages ago.  Suddenly, a spot light appears on you.  You leap onto the conference table, and strike a ridiculous pose.  You open your mouth and a vibrating aria comes out that expresses all your woes about the meeting, and the day, and life in general.  Now that would be exciting.  It would work in other areas as well…instead of fighting with your kids you could sing to them and get them to see the error of the ways.  It would definitely shock them into giggles at the very least.  I may try it later and let you know how it goes…at home though, not at work.

My girlfriend called me up last night all excited, “So are we doing it?” I knew immediately what she was referring to. “The 10K race at the end of October? Yeah, we’re doing it.” And like that we are committed. This means that I actually have to start training again. I always run, but it becomes a lot more half-assed when I don’t have a race to train for. If I have a goal I can always fit the run in. No goal + busy life = not as much running. So here I go again…training. Printed off a daunting training plan, and of course set it to start next week, because I always need a few days to slack off before I start the regular running. Now my excuse is that I start training hard next week, so I need to rest up and take it easy this week . I really am the worst kind of slacker. But next week, I will become a runner again. Watch out!

I am home with the kids this week and my son is in a hockey camp every morning, but the afternoons are left for Mommy to fill with excitement.  I had the crazy idea to take them to the library today.  They each have a card, and I occasionally get them books but we mostly buy books.  They both already have so many books so instead of going to Chapters today to buy more, I decided to let them go to the library to try it out.  I told them to just grab as many as they liked, up to a maximum of ten books.  They were thrilled, it was like I promised to take them to the fair.  I am a huge reader so right now I am thinking I sure have cool kids.  I remember when I was their age I could walk to the library by myself and I used to get most of my reading books that way.  As an adult I really like to own my books, but I still take a bunch out of the library as well.  As we left the library today, with both my kids carrying an armload of books, I couldn’t have been a prouder Mom.

And by Hard Run I don’t mean I ran hard but wow was it ever a hard run.  Some days I go running and just float through my 5k and feel like I could do more with no troubles.  And some days, like today, ever step is a hard won battle.  I was sore from the start, and hungry, and breathing hard.  It takes me a long time to warm up normally, 2-3km, but today it was only at 4.25k that I felt warmed up…which was sad as I was only running 5k.  But I survived, with a lot of bargaining.  I totally lie to myself which for some reason makes me feel better – I will only do 2k today, and then okay just 3k and then well only 4k and I will walk the last bit.  But somehow I always get through the whole run.  They speak about the runner’s high.  I only get it when I am done.  I am always so happy that I did the run and am finished it that I hit full-on perky mode.

I just had the yummiest bag of chips. I bought them at the grocery store in the organic/gluten free section. They are Kettle Bakes Aged White Cheddar. They really taste great and aren’t that bad for you. Check them out!

While we were at a winery last week someone mentioned marinating peaches in ice wine. As we were leaving Niagara we bought a basket of fresh peaches. I then got tub of Breyer’s vanilla ice cream. I sliced up the peaches, splashed some ice wine on them and let them sit for 30 minutes. I then added a very generous scoop and poured a glass of ice wine to accompany it. Seriously yummy!!

That is my Starbucks order. I have always been kind of obsessive about not drinking caffeine every day as I didn’t want to ever be dependent on anything, I am such a control freak. About a year ago, I started going for coffee with my teammates every day, and they preferred Tim Hortons (medium steeped tea, one milk). They invited me along and I got into the habit of getting a tea every couple of days.  At some point I started making the guys go to Starbucks because I like it better than Tim Hortons.  Right away I started ordering my tea misto, and just always got the same thing.  I never realized just how great it feels when you go somewhere regularly enough that the staff just make it for you.  They see me in line, my guy gives me a little nod that means “the usual?”  I nod back, and by the time I make it to the cash, it is there.  I feel so special!  One more reason why I love Starbucks.  And yes I now drink caffeine almost every day.

I am having a lousy day.  I am stressed, exhausted and my stomach has this crazy nervous, sick vibe thing going on.  Doesn’t everybody’s stomach do that?

The kids are in Vermont with my parents.  They are having a super time.  Every day they call and sound so happy and relaxed.  This is great from a parent point of view.  Means there is nothing for me to worry about.  But they are gone until Friday and right now I just want a cuddle with each of them.  I know they are okay, happy, having a great time.  But I am not.  And nothing makes me feel better than a cuddle with my kids.

I love the Olympics!  I love everything about them.  I love that I suddenly care passionnately that the Latvian men’s beach volleyball team placed 9th overall.  I love that Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals and set 8 world records.  I love that Karl Shewfelt broke both his legs a year ago and then performed brilliantly in this year’s competition.

I am Canadian and I love watching our Olympic team.  I suddenly become the encyclopedia on sports such as rowing and synchronized diving. I cry as athletes fall and don’t meet their goals.  I cheer and scream while they beat their own records and bring home medals for their countries.  There is just something so feel-good about an Olympic competition.  I tip my hat to all the extraordinary athletes out there competing and giving their best for their country.  Go Canada!!