Father’s Day

Our Father’s Day were supposed to be spent out at the cabin enjoying the peace and quiet.    It’s been quite a month for us as it is a month since Jordon quit his job at The Lighthouse and found a new job but is still doing what he loves and is pretty excited about new challenges.  So are we.

Instead of going to the cabin on Friday night, Jordon informed me that we were going to the wedding of our good friends Bert Lang and Don Lafreniere.  Don is quite ill with cancer and the wedding was a total last minute surprise, even for Don and Bert.  The wedding was in a suite at the Holiday Inn and we joined a small group of their friends and family who put together a nice wedding on about 28 hours notice.

Of course with Bert being ill and just about ready to move into palliative care, I shed a lot of tears but we had a wonderful time.  So while we didn’t make it to the gay pride parade (we were frantically looking for gifts and getting reading for the wedding), we were at marriage for two dear friends.

Bert and Don's wedding

As I mentioned, today was the gay pride parade today in Saskatoon.  I don’t always understand the nuances of politics like Jordon does but I do appreciate the stand that 8 of Saskatoon’s city councillors took when they took out this ad and marched in the parade.  As we were leaving, we ran into one of the grooms downstairs and he was just saying that a guy who was there was so homophobic that he couldn’t even listen to the story of Bert and Don’s marriage.  Homophobia is alive and well in Saskatoon.

Later this morning Mark and Oliver get along really well with Bert and Don so we are taking the boys to visit Bert in St. Paul’s Hospital later this morning where we are told to sneak in cold Coca-Cola into Bert.  Since Coke is the only thing he can consume, we took him up a small cooler to keep it cold in.  The nurses can get him ice which m

Before we leave to see Bert, we did have a chance to celebrate Father’s Day with Jordon.

Jordon is a great father to the boys.  He has also taught me a lot about being a better parent.  He is pretty much impossible to manipulate, understands the boys really well, and can be fun when he needs to be and firm when it is called for as well.  The boys are lucky to have Jordon as their dad.  If you ask Jordon, he says that he is lucky to have two great kids.

For Father’s Day the boys got him a reciprocating saw.  We want to do some projects with the wood from pallets and to take them apart, you need a good saw.  This could also be a gift for me as I am the one that wants to do some stuff with pallet wood so we all win at this.  Well I win.  The more I think about it, I think Jordon could end up losing.  Sorry about that babe.

NewImage

We all pitched in an got him a pair of Bose AE2 around the ear headphones with my, err, our AirMiles.  Jordon loves his Bose in the ear headphones and the sound on the AE2 are even better.  Even if I wanted these to be for me I don’t think I could pry them off his head or out of his hands.

NewImage

From me, I bought him a dual sided barbecue grill topper with a griddle on one side and a flat surface on the other.  According to the barbecue cookbooks, they are ideal for doing hamburgers on and I am really curious what it is like to grill on. Snow power 1 0 edt M 500x500

The dog got him a Hydro Power razor and some Snow Power cologne from Swiss Army.  Yes that cologne bottle is reinforced and has a carabiner on it so if he goes mountain climbing, he will be able to take it with him.

Maggi was concerned that wasn’t gift enough so she got into the garbage and spread it through the house.  Nothing says, “Happy Father’s Day” like garbage in the house.  We are thinking of trading her in for a racoon.  Of course Mark see’s the carnage the throws up all over the place.  Nothing says Father’s Day to Jordon like having to clean up his son’s vomit.

Of course Jordon goes “bad dog” and immediately Maggi climbs up on his lap (her admission of guilt) until he pets her or says, “It’s all right”.  Last night that was a little slow coming so we had a dog underfoot for part of it.

It’s good to be together as a family.  Tonight we are trying to make a spicy perogy pizza.  I’ll let you know how it turns out.

I hope your Father’s Day is a good one.

Oliver turns five

Oliver Cooper turns five

Jordon looks back at how traumatic of time it was for me with Oliver being born on his blog today as Ollie celebrates his fifth birthday.  Because I was so sick and drugged during those weeks, I had no idea of how bad it was.  A year or so later I was with some friends who told me they were certain that I was going to die during childbirth and looking back, I also did.

Of course the good news is that I didn’t die and Oliver was fine.  I have told many times that myself of the baby (or both) would not survive another pregnancy, I am happy that after all of the struggle, I have two wonderful sons.  One just took more out of me than the other.

Well, he isn’t always wonderful. I went out last night and Oliver wanted to sleep in his brother’s bunk bed.  He had slept downstairs the night before and Mark was frustrated with how bad he was.  Oliver basically saw this as an opportunity to stay up all night and play with Mark.  He could not understand Mark’s desire to sleep and did his best to keep waking up Mark.  So when Jordon said, “No” to him, he went apocalyptic with his rage at Jordon and Mark.  They responded by watching another episode of MI-5.  As Jordon told me this morning, “That is what Harry would have wanted us to do.”

When Mark said that he didn’t want Oliver in his room, Oliver threw a fit and yelled at Jordon, “My brother’s breaking my heart!”  Because Jordon and Mark and more or less immune to manipulation, it didn’t go far other than evoking snickering and laughing downstairs which I think made him even madder.  If anything, what bothers him most in this world is probably what bothers most five year olds, they can’t always get their way.

So today was spent with Mark at A.H. Browne park testing out his new kick scooter and then with me as we ran some errands together.  Tonight is pizza, cake, and just being together as a family.  We’ve come a long ways since I was told that Oliver and I might not make it.  It’s a nice night to celebrate.

Mother’s Day at the Cabin

Mother's Day Gift

Well the boys surprised me with a new patio table set for the cabin.  It’s small but we only have a 8×8 deck and of course we are a small family.  We also have a picnic (or picinic if you are Yogi Bear) table and some other chairs if more friends drop by so we will be okay.  We already had a base for the umbrella so we are good to go.  We have a matching side table which complements it nicely.  I can’t wait for the weather to be consistently nice enough to use it.  Of course Jordon, Mark, and Oliver already ran the deck box up to the lake so we have a head start on outdoor living.

They also gave me a stacked drink dispenser which we will keep at the cabin.

Contemporary serveware

Jordon picked me up a cookbook called Complete Comfort Food by Bridget Jones.  

We tried this Whiskey RIbeye Marinade Recipe and didn’t like it.  Tender steak but whiskey taste.  Not a good combination if you are not a whiskey drinker.  While we were there, we were able to stop by Dennis and Wilda Camplin’s place where I was all inspired by their painting (I need to do more of it this year). 

Easter

It was a quiet Easter around here.  I worked at Safeway for all of Good Friday.  After I got home, Lee and Brittany came by for appetizers and dessert.  When they left, Jordon and I went to the Rook and Raven with Sean, Megan, and Councillor Zach Jeffries.  While we were there, were of course harassing Zach and he invited us for a late night tour of City Hall and Council Chambers.  I learned a lot of things but I found out that city councillors don’t have offices at City Hall, they don’t even have cubicles, they actually share a cubicle (unless you are Zach or Mairin Loewen).  I also found their stash of chocolate bars where Jordon may or may not have stolen a Kit Kat.  I just hope it doesn’t lead to a mill rate increase.

While we were being accompanied by a city councillor, it did seem funny to be walking around a dark and empty City Hall late at night.  Of course the only thing we did that was really over the line was that we parked in the city councillor parking.

Saturday I worked at The Lighthouse Supported Living for a shift and on Sunday we got up early to see what the Easter bunny dropped off.  He brought all of us some chocolate.  Mark got a NFL football, an iTunes card, a magazine, a drafting pencil and some 11×17 drawing paper.  Oliver got a Transformer, two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and a diving mask.  I got a jacket and a mug while Jordon got a Starbucks mug and a iPod case.  

The plan is to have a nice supper with some friends tonight.  I don’t have to cook but I do have some chocolate to bring by… because as we all know some extra chocolate on Easter is what all of us need.

Happy Birthday to Jordon

Project Red iPod Nano

Jordon turns 39 today.  I gave him a Project (Red) iPod Nano (and case) while the Mark gave him some Monster NCredible NErgy headphones to go along with it.  Oliver got him a Jose Bautista McFarlane action figure and a Jose Bautista Toronto Blue Jays shirt. Maggi gave him some speakers and I tossed in a copy of Contagious and a new field watch.

On Friday I invited a bunch of friends to Winston’s Underground Cellar (which is downstairs from Winston’s and only open on weekends). While Winston’s is the loudest pub in the entire world, downstairs was nice and we were all able to sit, chat, and make fun of each other.  Jordon got some great books from friends down there and everyone seemed to enjoy the Sam Adams Boston Lager.

Tonight we are celebrated with Lee and Brittany at Jerry’s Food Emporium on 51st.  The food was good, conversation was fun and Lee and Brittany gave Jordon a great birthday card and Sport Chek gift card.  Jordon used the gift card to get himself a new badminton racket for the cabin.  It’s graphite composite with flex weave technology that will be completely useless to him when I beat him this summer.

Christmas Day

Jordon did a writeup of what went down for Christmas so I won’t replicate that here but it has been a nice day.  For tonight we are making a traditional Christmas dinner with Rosemary Roasted Turkey, twice baked potatoes, salads, dressing, and even some turnips.  

Tomorrow the plan is to avoid the malls, go for a walk along the Meewasin Valley Trail and enjoy some of the teas that I got for my birthday.  Hopefully the weather cooperates but it’s Saskatchewan so you know it won’t.

I was spoiled this Christmas.  Jordon gave me some iPod speakers & some perfume.  Mark gave me a griddle and electric skillet.  Maggi gave me a kitchen scale.  Santa brought me a new a knife set and the famous Edge of Glory knife sharpener to help rehabilitate some of my knives that aren’t getting used.  Mark also gave me a pink Zepco fishing rod and tackle kit.  Luckily for me fishing isn’t that great near our cabin but I am looking forward to sitting down in the north beach of Arlington over some coffee and snacks with the boys.

Lee and Brittany gave me a Dutch Growers gift card which I can’t wait to use.

Turning 43

I survived by 43 trip around the sun today.  To celebrate not being tossed off the planet earth, I will celebrate my longevity with the guys today.

I woke up to some fun birthday gifts.  Jordon gave me a purple iPod Nano and a iTunes card.  Mark gave me some over the ear and JVC Xtreme Xplosive headphones (purple as well) while Oliver got me a tea infuser  and some tea from David’s Tea.  Surprisingly the dogs got me a rotisserie convection toaster oven which surprised me as well.  I am terrified to think how they got the money.

Am off to have a nice lunch with Jordon today while later tonight I will head out with all of them to celebrate.  It should be fun.

The Holiday Season

Oliver's Pogo StickWe are pretty well done for Christmas.  The last remaining gift to arrive is a kid’s pogo stick from Amazon.com and that should be here on Monday.

Oliver has been fixated on a pogo stick since the fall.  He has big plans for it and wants to pogo to the cabin, down the stairs, and even around town.  The problem is that he isn’t heavy enough to bounced a pogo stick and is actually quite terrified of one when Jordon showed him one at Toys R Us.  We thought that would the end of it but on the way out of the parking lot, he expressed confidence that Santa and his elves would find a way to work things out.

I was willing to let it go and just let Oliver’s hopes and dreams be crushed this Christmas but Jordon was surfing Amazon one night, he saw this one and ordered it.  It’s cheaper than a real pogo stick and yet fulfills Oliver’s need to pogo all over the place (we hope).  If not, we will just toss Santa under the bus.

In the past I was overwhelmed at Christmas but a combination of medication that seems to be working and Jordon’s organizational help, Christmas has been quite easy this year.  We started planning and shopping back in September so we were able to get what we needed early and since then have just been picking up some small stuff.  

We do plan to have a Christmas party just before Christmas.  I am working on recipes as I write this which should be fun.  As for Christmas itself, we are heading out to Lee & Brittany’s Christmas Eve to have a traditional Christmas meal of lasagna before exchanging gifts.  On Christmas Day we will be alone but plan to have a big breakfast and an actual Christmas meal with ham, turkey, and the trimmings.  In between the eating we will spend a lot of time hanging out with the boys.  Jordon bought Mark a Magic Igloo Maker so I assume we will spending part of Christmas day hanging out in an igloo.  Mark is out making it now.  We also plan to get some skating in, take some winter photographs, and watch some movies over the holiday week.

There isn’t that much to do between now and then.  My work doesn’t have a Christmas party as most of the long term staff are long gone.  Jordon’s Christmas party is on the 21st but other than that, we don’t have a lot going on which is a big change from when Jordon worked at the Salvation Army.  

Well however it works out, I am looking forward to the holidays this season.  It should be a nice one.

2012 Christmas Gift Guide for the Men in Your Life is Online

Christmas Gift Ideas and Gift GuidesI just posted my 2012 Christmas Gift Guide for the Men in Your Life over on Jordon’s blog.  It’s an extremely popular feature of his blog but it takes a lot of work in brainstorming, planning, researching, and then writing the post.  I am glad it is done.  Now I just have to go out and purchase Jordon something for Christmas.

If you have any thoughts, idea, or feedback, let me know over in the comments of the post.