The Family That Plays Together...

I write this on "Family Day" 2013 in hopes that the new holiday will not end up costing me an extra several hundred dollars every year in the near future.  "Family Day!" Oh the pressure!! When the government officially gives us a day off, I feel like the only way to have a successful holiday is to be doing something amazing for 12 hrs straight.

Will there be family themed cupcake wrappers, cards, napkins, socks with "family" written across them? Earrings with parents dangling from one ear and children and a cat or dog dangling from the other, all filling the shelves at the dollar store?

Side note: I truly believe dollar stores would not exist if it weren't for me buying holiday themed decorations, crafts, and accessories every year.

Now I'm going to feel pressure to seek out an indoor carnival every year on family day because it's the classic overpriced fun family outing.

Well I say, STAND UP AGAINST THE SYSTEM PARENTS! 

Right now I'm sitting here in the kitchen while my children watch T.V. in the next room (Yes, it's heroin for kids eyes.) under bedsheets that have been tacked to the walls to make the biggest tent this semi detached house could ever accommodate.  I'll probably make some burnt grilled cheese sandwiches, running outta bread halfway through, then we might go skating but the chances are 50/50 because laundry is a priority and it's f'ing freezing outside!  Then we'll top off the day with homework which we'll do as a family because the new math is REALLY hard, and wrap it up with a meatloaf for dinner. But there will be a lot of laughing!

My girls will probably remember this day forever and I didn't spend a dime. 

This is a family day.

Now if we can just get the Government to launch a "Give Parents A Break" day!

E

I did my nails !!!

Well, well, well. My oldest kid is at school all day and the younger one is on my ipad, so I was able to do my nails and add a double top coat!!!! What??? I have waited 9 and 1/2 years to do it! Tomorrow I do stand up and I wanted fun fingers. I hope my jokes are fun too. I did the silver stickers by Sally Hansen and they were 50% off the original price. Win win.

Restart!

Okay soooo it's been a year and a half. I didn't follow through with the trainer. I did however discover mom dancing. Zumba. Love it. I also started hosting and producing a monthly mom and dad stand up show at a Lazy Daisy's Cafe 1515 Gerrard St. E and Smock Cafe 287 Roncessvalles. Check out Motherloadtv.com for the Facebook updates and funny random things. I promise to keep up the blogs I promise. I won't let the 3 of you down. Xo

Suck It In

So I'm going to do it! I'm meeting with a fitness trainer on Friday and she's going to measure me and give me a workout plan. I am a measurement virgin. I mean I've had my measurements taken countless times before, but it’s always been for a theatrical wardrobe fitting, never at a gym by someone who's hoping the numbers are big so they’ll have a case study.
I'm also thinking maybe I’ll do a before pic. I'd brush my hair for this pic, have some make up on, not look like my world is over... But no bikini! Even if I’m buff and cut six months from now, I’ll have no interest in looking back on a picture of me…now…in a bikini. I'll wear form-fitting clothes and I’ll try and muster up a smile. Thankfully I’m a trained actor so…I think I can do the smile.

I just want to be healthy, not look like I did when I was 18. I want to feel good in my mom skin. I want to get my cholesterol down (it's pretty high). I want to live a long life and not groan and complain when I get out of a chair.

So I meet with my young childless trainer on Friday. In the meantime I've been drinking wine at night and have baked two batches of really yummy chocolate chip cookies before we meet.

Friday, I get serious. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday I'm seriously bad.
E

And...we're off!

First day back to school.
Alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m.
Dozed until 6:50 a.m.
Rolled outta bed and heard "I feel sick".
Didn't buy it until I saw her gray chalk-coloured face.
Well, one more day in p.j's. can't hurt.

Holiday Hangover

If I see another spinach pumpernickel bread bowl I'm gonna vomit (and it's not because I dislike it, it's because I have an addiction to it).

Today is the last day of the holidays and tomorrow we are back into the schedule of life. I'm scared.

It's gonna hurt going back. We haven't been following a schedule for two weeks and we REALLY enjoyed it. No lunches were made, no walks back and forth six times between the school and home. Don’t get me wrong, entertaining the girls for twelve hours a day was a lot of work, but I didn't bath them diligently every other day and they stayed in p.j's until 4p.m. Dance classes and Girl Guides were all done so no hectic driving in rush hour traffic… with the exception of TWO trips to the Eaton Centre just before Christmas because I’m a “masochist shopper”.

The holidays are like not going to the gym for two weeks and eating whatever you want. At first it's awesome and you think you've died and gone to heaven but by the end you feel shaky. Once you go back to the old routine you feel outta shape and sore on day two.

I'm going need a heating pad and a gin and tonic at 4 p.m. tomorrow.

And to all a good nizzzzzzzzz

I Decked The Halls!

This was an interesting Christmas. For the first time in many many years we had some extra spending money for the season. And although we knew that 2010 will be another year of budgeting, we decided to splurge on the kids. Usually in years past we would scrimp and save, hope for a miracle cheque or for money as a gift from family to pay for bills and groceries the week after the big holiday. I would always stress about it, but somehow…someway there were always too many presents under the tree and the girls were thrilled by the littlest gift. "LOOK! I got LIFESAVERS in a box with a maze on it!!!" "Rudolph's REAL!!! He dropped carrots on the way up the chimney. He's REAL, I knew it!!"

Among the gifts this year? I spent double the price on Zu Zu Hamsters for both girls because it was the must-have toy of the season. They didn't know what it was but I prided myself on getting this high demand gift. The older one got a D.S. I now know what that stands for. "Don't Sh#t when you see the price tag.” Games, puzzles, special order dolls…the list goes on. And you know what the girls loved the most? Having hot chocolate with whip cream for a week straight. Opening the Advent Calendar door every day. Going to the mailbox and checking for Christmas cards. And my personal favorite was seeing the joy on their faces when I would sing the entire "Frosty the Snowman" song for the 800th time.

Secretly I had more fun in past years coming up with creative ideas for gifts that cost next to nothing. Maybe this will be the year that I can find the perfect balance between teaching my children…and learning from them.

Happy New Year my friends,
Over spender...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz