Late Halloween pics

My children seem to prefer 'dressing up' at home with headbands and no clothes. We had a panda and princess for most of our walk which I was determined to do. I grew up driving from place to place but I hate getting the kids in and out and listening to them cry about the candy. I took the stroller to my mums and walked into the sunset, stopped at some neighbors and fed them what I could control in the stroller. It was pretty fun dispite the crying about not wanting to wear ANYTHING.

Autumn

We have enjoyed the weather this fall, finally some dry leaves to play in!

Remembering

Yesterday was a day to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall, today is Sesame Street's 40th birthday and tomorrow is Canadian Remembrance Day. Last year on Nov. 11, I posted something where I reflected on the fallen soldiers. This year I remember them but I also remember the night we were watching the news when my parents sat with their eyes glued to the TV. We watched with amazement, fear and awe as people smashed and ripped away the Berlin wall. I was 10 years old. My dad said, "Well, would you look at that" and my mum was speechless. I also remember around that time, praying for the people in countries far away and thanking God that we lived in a free country. I remember wondering how their lives were any different from my own. What did free mean?
I have been avoiding all conflict surrounding the H1N1 discussion and doing all the research I can. I will say that I am very happy that I live in a 'free' country. My children can be seen by a doctor whenever I want them to go. It is up to me to decide if I will vaccinate my children and no one is forcing me to do (or not do) something I don't agree with. I am in control of my children's health, education and well being. Having lived in other countries, I also appreciate not having to pay their medical expenses even though we don't have any sort of medical plan at all. We also don't have to pay for their dentist/ear/eye appointments or any surgeries that are needed.
Canada isn't perfect and my post one year ago, reflects some of my frustration at our government but it is easier to complain about your own than to hear someone else do the same. I have some frustration at people who are afraid and need vent their anger at their own government and blame someone else. Canada is not a Socialist, Communist country and leaders from other countries are not copying our systems because they are perfect or perfectly sneaky. If anything can be learned about free health care it is that EVERYONE deserves a chance at a healthy well being. Companies do not need to profit from our illness and it is in our human nature to take care of others. What might happen to this world if we actually made absolutely sure that everyday everyone had a place to eat, learn and sleep, and to make sure they knew that not only were we 'praying' for them, but we were doing something about their situation.

While I believe most the of time Facebook is a waste of time, I will admit I go on it and I did take some time today to remember my days of Sesame Street. It is a bit psychedelic which I don't remember! Click here to see my favourite part.

And now after some venting, remembering and nostalgia, my children:

Pumpkin carving turned into pumpkin painting

Eli loves to have his picture taken and then look at it. Oh the joy of digital.

Maetia in the hammock before we took it down for the season :(

He could be a Tim Horton's commercial!

Maetia climbed this ladder to be like Daddy and then Eli did it, over and over.

Thankfulness

As we celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving this afternoon with my NS family members, I am reminded what I am thankful for.
Right now, it is for a sleeping baby and a husband who has a cold, worked all day yesterday but chooses to bake pink cupcakes with his daughter.
I am thankful for a house to live in, dishes to cook with and a stove to cook it on. We have been trying not to get hopeful, to hold our breath or to anticipate living with a functioning normal kitchen. It is almost done, after 10 months without a finished ceiling, walls, 4 months of makeshift kitchen, 1 1/2 months of a 2 foot high sink/counter.
I am thankful for the 2 day/1 night away from it all with my husband. We went to a wedding where we remembered how to relax, really laugh, eat slowly, and remember why we married each other. Michael has been working non-stop on our house all summer and I haven't had a break from the kids or the garden. We have been busy and hardly had time to catch our breath. It makes you wonder if it is all worth it, but we are so engulfed in it right now, that we don't have much choice. I loved every bit of our 'getaway'.
I am thankful for the life I didn't plan or expect. Living in my very small hometown married to a man from away. Vegetable farming and raising poultry. Renovating a house flip and falling in love with it. Being a mother. Lately our children are loving us back in a way that we didn't expect would happen. Maetia will rub my arm when we are sitting and reading and Eli will kiss me out of the blue. I love it and I thank God for all of it, even the screaching, fighting, marking on the walls days.
Here is a photo of our children being 'helpful' while we put in the wood.


I am in the process of figuring out Picassa for the third time so that I can post some albums so there are more than 4 pictures at a time. This will be a better way to share the farm, renovations and our ever changing and beautiful children.

Grandma and Grandpa visit

One of the biggest highlights of our summer was having mom and dad Contant come to Nova Scotia to visit. They stayed in their cottage, had company, went to Maine and visited and helped us. We loved having them around. We were obviously having way too much fun to take many photos but we hope to get some off of their camera. Here are a few that show a bit of the fun. We love you Grandma and Grandpa!!

Dad helping Laura weed her garden where he said he 'gained a new appreciation for the higher cost of the organic food they buy'.

Eli was always trying to catch up with Maetia all summer, but especially with those with hugs and kisses.

Dad, Michael and Eli making a fire on the beach at the cottage. We enjoyed many sunsets and good times on the beach with them.

Maetia and Grandma enjoying life

We also were able to go into Halifax to see the Tall Ships with Mom and Dad as well as Auntie Annelies and Uncle Ken. We loved visiting with all of you so much! Too bad for the rain.

Staycation

We couldn't get away much this summer so we tried to make our home as fun and exciting as possible.

Helping me with supper and dishes

Eli takes his blanket with him wherever he goes, even in the coupe car.

This is Eli trying to pick up the bug that I pointed out to teach them about bugs. He didn't eat this one but only because it was 'too swippery'.

Do you sense a theme of dirt, soaked clothes and funny faces on this boy?

Maetia made her own bug net to be like Daddy who was in the garden.

Growing older with Summer

We ended up building a larger sandbox with great playing sand and Eli has stopped eating it, for the most part.

Our kiddie pool got a hole in it and the kids improvised for most of the summer. We spent at least 3 afternoons a week at my parent's house (with a pool).

A good friend of ours invited us to their cottage on a lake. We were able to take the kids out in the canoe which we have never done, having no canoe and some little babies. Maetia is proud to wear a life jacket and be in a real 'manoo on a lake'.

Eli sat almost as still in the canoe as he does in the tractor. It calmed my nerves a little to watch him be so relaxed.

We got 2 fish for our first "pets". According to Maetia, Drake and Violet don't count because they were not her official pets. Their names were Georgia and Sarah, and later another Sarah. Second Sarah is gone again and we are just sticking with Georgia until the winter when we have to bring her inside, then Maetia says Violet might eat her! The first death was a little traumatic but maybe due to the chickens we have had to 'process' (slaughter), Maetia seems okay with pet death for now.

VanHattem family time

My sister came from PEI and we all rented a cottage, spent some time at the beach and basically just hung out with the kids. I tried to take some time away from the garden to relax with my family and the weeds snuck up on me but it was worth it.

The girls had a dress up and 'show' for us to watch. Very entertaining.

We went to a nice sandy beach and chaos reigned until we fed them at a restaurant where the one waitress looked a little overwhelmed as all 16 of us entered.

My sister Jennifer reading (10 cousins) everyone a bedtime story.

Maetia and Keira

Here is Eli at work with a ball and anything else he can find to throw, hit or jump onto.

Time out

Lately we have had to put Maetia in quite a few time outs. She has been very cranky and not listening. It could be that she is upset that we have been paying extra attention to Eli lately with all the ear infections, or that she misses her mama and daddy while she is at daycare. It could be that she really does have a sore stomach and eating wheat free is not the answer, or it might just be a phase. I am not too strict as a mom and I try not to freak out when there is a spill or straight up disobedience. Besides the whining giving me a headache, I actually find it amusing. Maetia told me yesterday that she had to mark on all her dolls faces and bodies because she didn't want anyone to feel left out. She also said that the markers told her that they didn't need the covers on them because they felt squished. She has also been teaching Eli how to get into the craft closet, find the markers and mark all over everything. She told me that it was okay that she marked on him because he likes it and "I think he must be feeling better now mamma!".


Here is how I found Maetia one day after having 'quiet time' instead of a nap that she didn't want.

Here is the evidence

More evidence. Maetia told me with a smile on her face that she painted Eli.

Here is Eli mad at me because Maetia is in time out and he can't get to her.

Here are my beautiful children on a good day (hour, minute, moment) playing outside in the lupins.

Operation

Eli had to have an operation on Friday and it was a bit of a surprise. He had to get tubes in his ears, and his Adenoids and Tonsils out. On Wednesday we went to the ENT clinic at the children's hospital and after hearing all of his symptoms, felt they needed to rush it and fit him in as soon as possible. Some of the more serious symptoms are that he has had many (many) ear infections and is becoming resistant to antibiotics and he has sleep apnea (not breathing at night for a few seconds at a time) which we thought was from his Acid Reflux. I was able to stay in the room with him and Michael came the next day with Maetia to pick us up. The hospital is 1 1/2 hours away but worth the drive, the staff was amazing. We are so thankful for a quick surgery and what seems to be a quick recovery already!


It was hard to see him so docile.

He hated the things in his feet.

The next day he was feeling quite a bit better already.

Maetia liked his bed a lot more than he did.

trying something