Rainy day

Sometimes, I love a rainy day. It is a good excuse to stay home and enjoy doing nothing (especially when nothing has been planned!) ;) The summer has been hectic... and yesterday was another one of those busy days! Both Alexander's and Nicklas' soccer teams made it to the finals so we had back to back soccer activities/parties for most of the day. I was really happy for them...  and proud... it was a great day.... but it gets me to appreciate the sit-down-and-read-with-no-guilt today! Ahhhhhh!

Hope you are all enjoying your Sunday... rainy or not ;)

xox

First day of school, part 2

Today was Alexander's first day back. He already dislikes Spanish (again) and has gone back to grunting when I ask him how his day was. So nice to know that my kids all fall back into the routine so effortlessly ;)

It is almost Friday :)

xox

First day of school part 1

Today, Nicka and Oliver started school and I did my BIG happy dance ;) Alexander will be starting tomorrow (this is why this post is the first day of school part 1)... and I will be doing an even bigger happy dance ;)
As much as I am a bit sad to see summer go, I will be happy to get to a family routine again. I am tired of 1) boys fighting, 2) loud Youtube channels, 3) tablet addictions, 4) fighting them over tablet addictions and 5) the never ending driving from one activity to another. My attempt to work from home was ok but not as productive as I would have liked. Maybe the constant refereeing or food service had something to do with it ;)
This morning, I woke the boys up with a happy "Wake up. It is back to school" and I didn't even get a grunt in return. I am guessing that they are happy to see their friends again after the summer break. Let's see how the wake up routine goes again tomorrow ;) I didn't even mind making their lunches ;)

Happy first day of school (part 1)!

Lost tooth

Today, Oliver finally lost his tooth. Yes- finally. This thing has been loose since before we left for Sweden. It has been so loose that it actually moved over and made a gap before it even fell out. His loose tooth has been a convenient excuse for not finishing his not-so-appreciated dinners. It caused chaos during tooth brushing time (ie: the tooth didn't like mint). It resulted in Oliver always needing a darn straw for drinking his water. It kept him from smiling in pictures. It even kept him from a swimming lesson that he didn't really feel like attending (but my tooth hurts too much to swim). And, now, the day before school, it is finally gone... and Oliver is happily trading his convenient excuse for a visit from the Tooth Fairy ;)

xox to you all!

My progression with progressives

Last week, not only did I take the boys to get their eyes checked (see here), I also found out that my 47 year old eyes have change prescription again and I needed progressives (UGH! Yes, like in bifocals!). Since getting my new glasses last week, I no longer feel dizzy (but I did in the beginning). I no longer feel nauseous (but I did at the beginning). I can walk down a flight of stairs without feeling like I am going to fall (yups... that too!). I haven't actually fallen (a good sign). I have better vision for distance. I can actually read something in my hand. I am no longer doing "eye-gymnastics" every time I change from looking at something up close to far away (progess). I am no longer mortified that I actually had to get progressive lenses (resolving myself). Guess I am progressing ;)

Wishing you all a good week ahead xox

I can see you hiding back there ;)

In the bad books ;)

My boys are not big fans of reading. Actually, Nicklas is not bad. He has some favourite authors and, if I ask him to read, he does... and willingly. The other two are terrible! Alexander, when he was little, loved books. Suddenly, in grade 4, his love of reading was suddenly over :( Now, it is like pulling teeth to get him to read anything. Oliver is even worse: he has decided that he cannot read and, no matter what I do, he is not changing his mind. All summer, I have been trying to do little 10 minute manageable blocks of reading time and it has just ended up being a form of mother-torture ;) I took him to the library to choose his own books (because the 5 million books that I bought while trying to get the other 2 boys to read were just not enough) and- still- he is not into reading. I try to make it more fun by playing reading games while we trudge through the book. I also try to alternate between me reading a page and him reading a page, just so it isn't so tiring for him. I provide French books (he is in French immersion), English books, comic books, space books, fiction books, non-fiction books, reptile books, cheetah books, dog books, Pokemon books, karate books, adventure books and he is still not into them. I have borrowed reading technique books from friends who have children who are good readers (I guess I was hoping for osmosis?). I guess I just have to accept that Oliver will read when he is good and ready. Or, considering that he tells me that Ninjas don't need to read**, I might have to wait until he changes career choices ;)

**Yes, I do tell him that Ninjas have to be able to read the instructions that come from their Samurai Masters but Oliver tells me that they just know it all by magic. No reading required ;)

Happy Friday to you all xox

Back to school preparations

Buy school supplies: check.
Pay for Alexander's school fees: check.
Pick up Alexander's class schedule: check.
Buy new back packs for school: check.
Buy new school pants for all three boys: check.
Buy new shoes for Oliver: check.
Line up all three boys and cut hair in record time: check.
Take all three boys to the eye doctor and be totally relieved that no one needs new glasses yet: check.
Start to make bedtime and wake up times earlier: check.
Get frustrated because the boys seem to be fighting more than usual: check.
Remind boys that video games will soon be available only on weekends: check.
Invest in wine box that will help with the first few weeks of homework: check.
Do happy dance that they start again next week: check, check and check ;)

Happy Thursday! xox

School supplies :)

That is a lot of hair!