Hallowe'en 2016

Today, we decorated for Hallowe'en. I know... pathetic... kind of like decorating the Christmas tree on the 23rd but then taking it down on the 26th ;) It has been very windy, rainy and grey the past few weekends so I have been avoiding having to run after styrofoam bones and handmade ghosts down our street ;) So, finally, today, we decorated! The boys were so excited... and into it... and willing to help that, approximately, 10 minutes after we started, our neighbours' boys showed up and our guys totally disappeared with them... leaving Andreas and I to do all the decorating. Glad that the boys loved it... after all, it WAS for them ;)

Tomorrow, we trick-or-treat with some good friends (the W family, in case you read this blog regularly). Mother W and I think that it will be a good idea to let the husbands take the boys out... and we can have a glass of wine give out candies to the children ;)

xoxo

See! No kids! ;)

Friends

Sometimes, the boys don't fight and are actually a bit like friends. They can play together (even if it is a video game), help each other, have fun hanging out and enjoy each other's company. It doesn't happen often, so I appreciate every moment.

Excuse the dark photo but I didn't want to jinx the non-fighting time so I took the picture and quickly got the heck out of the little boys' room... and went back to my quiet cup of coffee.... :) I just needed to document the moment so that, when they start fighting again, I can remember this ;)

Happy day to you all! xox

Good excuse

I played 2 games of soccer this morning and it is grey/rainy outside... are these good enough excuses just to enjoy being at home? Some days, I just like to blame my couch-potato-ness on external factors and not just me being lazy ;) Oh yeah... I did another load of laundry so does that count for extra couch points? ;)

Wishing you all a good Saturday xox

Tusind tak til Catarina for ideen! ;)

Yup... I am staying home ;)

Another 10 random facts #3

1. I am not allowed to drink wine during the week anymore because I am trying to curb the muffin top ;)

2. I bought a great coat on Ebay yesterday... new with tags... and $40 US... instead of the $268 price tag that it currently has on ASOS :) Can't wait until it arrives :)

3. As much as I am not a fan of cold weather, I have to admit that I like the cosiness of autumn.

4. The US election both repulses and attracts me at the same time. I am torn between being addicted to CNN and constantly yelling at the TV ;)

5. I have about 5 big IKEA bags of clean laundry on my bedroom floor. At least the clothes are clean ;)

6. Sometimes, in the car, I sing along with the songs on the radio because I know that it annoys Nicka ;)

7. Sometimes, in the car, I sing along with the songs on the radio because I know that it annoys Alexander ;)

8. My radio game doesn't work with Oliver.... yet ;)

9. When I was younger and my mother would tell us that she wanted peace in the house for Christmas, I thought that it was really lame. Now, I wish for the same thing ;)

10. Our hermit crabs are not the most exciting pets. I guess that I didn't really think that one through ;)

Happy Friday night to you all xox

Here are another 10 random pictures from around Montreal...

Ahhh... Saturday night

Saturday night used to mean going out... partying... staying up late. Now, a good Saturday night means a good dinner made, the boys cosy in their pajamas, the adults cosy in their pajamas, a very rainy night and not having to go out, a glass of good wine, some good music in the background and nothing else to do for the evening... Ahhhh....

Wishing you all a good Saturday evening... no matter how you wish to spend it xox

Living in a house with boys: the competition factor

Nothing ever happens in my house without competition. Asking the boys to brush their teeth results in a mad dash to the bathroom (complete with major pushing and shoving). Getting up in the morning results in a heated discussion about who got up first, who needs the least sleep, who had the scariest dream, who needed/didn't need a night light.... Eating results in an argument about who ate what fastest, who likes what best, who had what for lunch (usually, I make the lunches and they are all the same so I never get this one)... Going to the mailbox is a sprint/push/shove/yell/pout... Getting into the car is total craziness... They even compete about who is the first to know what the capital city of Nicaragua is... seriously ;)

Andreas, having been a boy, gets right into it. He teases them, riles them up and sets them against each other... and the boys fall for it EVERY FREAKING TIME!!! Sometimes, Andreas even competes with them... ugh! On the other hand, I- of the female/mother persuasion- just lose my patience... after all... WHO THE HECK CARES ABOUT BEING FIRST TO GET INTO THE STUPID CAR!!! The boys (all 4 of them) just look at me like I am from another planet... Don't get me wrong... I like competition... I play soccer... I like to win... BUT, in a sport, this is kind of part of the point- not the whole point though... there is also fun... and sportsmanship...and hanging out with friends... and developing skills.... and getting healthy... and earning my glass of wine ;) 

Maybe I should start to use the competition factor to get them to do the housework or put groceries away or make dinner... If I find some good earplugs, I won't have to listen to their yelling about being first.. and, if I have a pre-dinner cocktail, maybe I won't even care ;) Who will be first to put the dishes in the dishwasher? Who will be the first to do the laundry? Who will be the first to get into bed? ;)

Happy Friday to all xox

Random picture from the internet

The mystery of the missing middle child

I have a middle son. Sometimes, on this blog, it is not so obvious... but he does exist... and I love him very much... yes, just as much as the other two....so there! Lately, Nicklas is not appearing on this blog as much as he used to and I feel a bit guilty. The thing is that, recently, he just doesn't want me to take his picture... much less post it on the blog. You know what? I feel bad for not having including him as much as the other two but I totally respect his wishes. Nicka- you are temporarily off the hook ;)
When I post pictures of the boys (and I include Andreas in this), I always get their OK- or, at least, a grunt- on what I include. When no one wants their pictures taken, you- the lovely people who actually read my gibberish- get stuck with Montreal... or leaves... or food... or a bad selfie... or coffee.... or a wine glass (full, I hope) or the pets (and sometimes they say no too) ;) One of the main reasons why I started this blog (and there are a few others which I will save for another day) is a type of day-to-day chronicling of our family life.. something to share with them for now... and for later. It is kind of like a diary of us... right now... as we are and, if they are not a willing part of it, I am sensitive to that. OK... I like to harass my kids... but even I have a fine line ;)
Nicka, in the mean time, assures me that- one day- he would like me to take his picture again... and I will be happy to do it :)

Happy Monday evening to you all xox

This old picture is ok.... he said yes ;)