Tulip's Tantrums

We are going on our first ever official Family Vacation!!! We are heading to the Mayan Riviera for 7 days of exploring and fun. Our resort, Barcelo Costa Cancun, looks incredible and is all-inclusive. We definitely want to tour one of the many ruins sites, and have heard that Xel -ha and Xcaret are both a lot of fun. Right now I think we'll go to Chichen Itza and Xel -ha, but we're waiting until we're down there to decide definitely. We're learning Spanish, which is proving easier than we thought thanks to the French some of us sort of know. :-) We probably sound like a group of toddlers trying to talk, but it's fun! We'll see how much we actually understand when we get down there. Anyway, I've got some things to do today that can't wait so it's toodles for now!

Vivienne Anne Lemery Schapansky Kozakevich September 13, 1949 - February 13, 1991 Another year has passed. In reading my post from last year, it feels like I just wrote it. I continue to be amazed at the passing of time and how it seems to get quicker and quicker each year. What has happened that we would have shared in the past year? The kids are getting so big and mature and show more of themselves and the adults they're going to be every day. You would love them so much. Drey is graduating this year! Can you believe that? When I looked at his grad photo proofs, I was astounded at how much he looks like me - especially in the goofy hat one. I immediately focused on that one - remember how much I hated that pic of me and you loved it? Remember you got one copy (or was it a couple) made because you were so proud and had to have the cap and gown pic? I know you would ask for one of those in Drey's for you. :-) Dad and I picked a really nice pic of Drey in his gown, starin

I think our pug is stressed. Why? It all started a few months back when I discovered my Alberta Mental Health Board stress cow was missing a portion of its head. That tipped me off to the fact that Sasha may have some issues beyond teething. She left more subtle hints like gnawed off corners on the baseboards, rounded edges on the coffee table and neat little nip marks on cross bars of our dining room chairs. Is there something wrong with Sasha? Is she suffering from some mental anguish of which she is trying to tell us? As I observe her rotund form stretched out on the couch, her wide chest rising and lowering in sync with thunderous snores, I come to the realization that Sasha is just a dog, in the adolescent, rebellious phase that the 2 leggers in our family are going through, and she is likely bored. Time for more exercise! So, out to the park we go with Daig in the lead, Sasha in the centre, and Lucy in the jacket (she makes it about 50' when it's -15C), to have fun romp

I am home sick today with the flu. All was perfectly fine until about 6pm last night when I suddenly got very nauseous, everything became incredibly loud and I knew I was going to be ill. I went toward the bathroom but Drey was having a shower, so I laid down in bed to use labour breathing and self talk to keep whatever was wanting to come up down. I fell asleep for a bit but was nauseous once I awoke. The night was spent up and down and all around, and by 5:30 this morning my body was sore from being in bed too long. After putting the pets out, I discovered the cause of the foul odor by the front door and cleaned it up, which I think helped land me back in the biffy. I called into work around 6, grabbed a blanket and hauled myself onto the couch. I dozed on and off until Darrin got up at 8, shocked to see me home, still in my pj's and surrounded by sleeping dogs. The phone rang at 8:15 and Dary got called into work OT. Editor's note: That's as far as I got in this post on

Note: My sincere condolences to my friend Susan on the passing of her mom, Gerta. I have not been on here for a few days now, but I see the counter has flipped! Woohoo! I remember back when the nines turned and the counter saw 100. Things have changed since then in some ways, but stayed the same in others. Some things that make me go hmmm: Why is it we live where the gas is but we pay the highest prices? $0.67 in Toronto and a jump from $0.78 to $0.85 overnight here - one of these things is not like the other. The Sun's editorial today is about not painting all foster parents with the same brush, discussion arising from the death of a 3 year old allegedly killed at the hands of his foster mom. A child dying has nothing to do with the foster care system; it has to do with one person killing another, in this case one who is young and still in need of protection. So long as people continue to have unprotected sex, we will continue to have unwanted children. So long as we have unwante