We are staying in a carpet filled condo that requires daily or at least every other day vacuuming. Especially with toddler/baby moving around leaving a trail of crumbs where ever they go. Of course I vacuumed at our old house but in a house with wall to wall hard wood the vacuum did not come out as often as the Norwex mop did. Let's just say that here the vacuum has become somewhat of a novelty for Kaia. Well novelty I don't know but it has become a hot topic for conversation and activity in this little condo. For the last three ish days Kaia has been saying to me "vacuum Mom". I started responding by simply saying "yes Mommy will vacuum later". Kaia would persistently ask me through out the day the same question until finally I would do a serious scan of the floor and decide well yes Kaia is probably right I need to vacuum. I would pull out the vacuum Kaia would get all excited and watch me gather all of the toys and things off the floor and pull out the vacuum. Kaia would race to the couch and sit and watch me vacuum with deep concentration. This has gone on for a few days now but there has been some evolvement to the routine. Kaia will not let up until I whip out that vacuum. At first it was all cutesy and funny haha she likes watching me vacuum, haha she is trying to tell me something about the state of our little home. Now I'm feeling like I have a little parent following me around monitoring my chores and when things should be done. She asks me at least every hour "vacuum Mom", "Vacuum Mom". I feel like a whinny teenager now...I'm thinking in my head every time she asks me "sheesh leave me alone I'll vacuum later". arghh. It even got the point where I stopped Kaia mid sentence and said Kaia I will vacuum later OK lay off! I am trying to figure out what in the world is this new obsession about. But then I thought hmmm maybe she is trying to tell me something here like um maybe "I'm bored". Yes we live in a city with many many options. But right now as a part of our transition Erick is taking our car to work. Erick needs to get into a carpool and we are in the market for a second vehicle. So we are some what stranded at the moment. So after a morning of being pestered by my 2 year old to vacuum my floor I gave in and started vacuuming. She watches me so intently while I vacuum so I had a second thought maybe she really wants to learn how to vacuum or maybe she wants a vacuum ride....oh I'm a fool. Just as I was finishing up Kaia got off her little perch and came over to me and said "I try Mama". But as I handed her the vacuum she ran so fast back to her perch and said "no Mama". I put the vacuum away as I am finished for today and doesn't that brown eyed little girl look up and me like 10 minutes later and say "vacuum Mom". AHHHHH. Although my floors have never been cleaner I'm thinking its time to get involved in a little play group or something! Our weekends are always full we are on the go go go and come Monday and Tuesday the girls and myself are pretty content to relax and catch up with our routine things. But I'm thinking we need to add a play group to our schedule for the mid week crazies. It is time I need to do some research and figure out what we can do....that falls on the path of the city bus route too. We have already had one trip on the city bus and I don't think I have seen Kaia's eyes so big when the giant bus pulled up and we actually got on it. And then we all know that there is no lack of characters on the city bus to stare at. We can handle a little city transit until we get more organized. Time to make an effort....other wise I may start getting harassed to scrub the toilets or something. We were active participants in most all the play groups in Elkford so it is time to get involved in Kamloops.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
Hello Kamloops
It has been one month...one month that has flown by. I remember when we first pulled into the city. It was about 5pm the sun was shinning we were so excited. We got the keys to the bachelor suit we would be staying in for the first 3 weeks. The shock and excitement that we were HERE clouded the fact that we were staying in a bachelor suit. We did not care we would make it work. After quickly scanning our new home we realized that there was definitely some things that we needed to get, apart from the obvious grocery shop. Off to the grocery store we went, our cart filled up fast. We needed this that and the other things.....we grabbed the bulk toilet paper, bulk paper towel and bulk everything. We had doubles and triples of everything that we needed. It was weird both Erick and I kind of stopped looked at each other and it dawned on us. "wait a minute we live here now". If I need more of this or that I can come back tomorrow and get it heck I could come back in two hours and get what I forgot. We call our condition the "hoarder mentality". Living rurally causes such side effects as buying bulk items to "stalk up" because who knows when you are going to "get to town" again or even worse you may be snowed in. I mean yes this was our first grocery shop on our very first couple of hours in town. But even one month into this adventure and we are still catching ourselves grabbing 7 of each item in the ethnic food section which contains items that you wouldn't dream of finding at Kootenay Market. Erick and I are both naturally shopping lovers so this new adventure has brought shopper to a whole new level. Shopping is our weekend fun and even during the week we will make a special trip winners or walmart just because we can. I will never forget a couple Saturdays ago we were driving Kaia to her dance class and both of us were silent just taking in the sights as we drove until all of a sudden I see this little sandwich board sign that says "Filipino Store" "look look Erick a Filipino store" I'm shouting and pointing Erick says "what what where, lets go stop the car stop the car"......and then our new Mantra kicks in ok, we have to take Kaia to dance. "We live here now we can go shopping at this store anytime we want to, We live here now we can go shopping at this store anytime we want to". I will never forget Erick's comment as he took his first bite of Pandesal (sweet bun) "I love Kamloops". We now visit this store every Saturday after Kaia's dance class.
Kaia has had some additions to her vocabulary since we have arrived. I put my jacket on last night to take the garbage out and Kaia says to me "shopping Mama" Every time we go somewhere she says that. When we are driving around town Kaia says "Kaia's Kamloops" or "I lub Kamloops". On a couple of other occasions Kaia has said to me "home Mama, home Mama". Hearing this breaks my heart. My girls have been so incredibly resilient through all of this change. It has been 2 months now since we left our house. Both Kaia and Luka have had little moments of out of the ordinary fussiness. But for the most part they have not complained much at all about all of this change and bouncing around sleeping in different rooms and beds. They have done well and for that I am glad but oh boy do I wish that I could give Kaia her things back. I want her to have HER room back with her bed and her toys. SOON
Kaia's dance class....oh how I love that she is in dance. Although last week she would not have anything to do with the dance class she is loving it. The class is not parent involved so we drop her off and let her do her class for a half an hour. She is loving it for the most part and as it turns out her dance teacher is someone that I use to dance with back in my dancing days....(Yes I had dancing days). Erick joined a gym and I started going to a yoga studio....oh the possibilities....I am loving it WE are loving it.
Thank fully this last weekend we moved into a 2 bedroom apartment with lots of space for the girls to run around and each of us to have our own space. No luck so far on house hunting The right house is out there somewhere and we are determined to find it. We have looked at oh...15 houses I think. It will happen SOON.
Kaia has had some additions to her vocabulary since we have arrived. I put my jacket on last night to take the garbage out and Kaia says to me "shopping Mama" Every time we go somewhere she says that. When we are driving around town Kaia says "Kaia's Kamloops" or "I lub Kamloops". On a couple of other occasions Kaia has said to me "home Mama, home Mama". Hearing this breaks my heart. My girls have been so incredibly resilient through all of this change. It has been 2 months now since we left our house. Both Kaia and Luka have had little moments of out of the ordinary fussiness. But for the most part they have not complained much at all about all of this change and bouncing around sleeping in different rooms and beds. They have done well and for that I am glad but oh boy do I wish that I could give Kaia her things back. I want her to have HER room back with her bed and her toys. SOON
Kaia's dance class....oh how I love that she is in dance. Although last week she would not have anything to do with the dance class she is loving it. The class is not parent involved so we drop her off and let her do her class for a half an hour. She is loving it for the most part and as it turns out her dance teacher is someone that I use to dance with back in my dancing days....(Yes I had dancing days). Erick joined a gym and I started going to a yoga studio....oh the possibilities....I am loving it WE are loving it.
Thank fully this last weekend we moved into a 2 bedroom apartment with lots of space for the girls to run around and each of us to have our own space. No luck so far on house hunting The right house is out there somewhere and we are determined to find it. We have looked at oh...15 houses I think. It will happen SOON.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Goodbye Elkford
It has been a long time since my last entry and with all that time there has been a lot of change.
I have written lots before about my desire to move on from the little town of Elkford. Since having my girls I have felt that Elkford just isn't a good fit for me and us anymore. It has been just over a year since first discussing my desire to move with Erick and after many a long talks we decided that we would set a 1-2 year goal of moving our little family. I knew that it wasn't going to be an easy move in many more ways than just one. We have a lot of deep connections to Elkford. I get asked the question quite often why I want to leave Elkford or what part of Elkford don't I like. The easiest answer I have for that is that I am bored in Elkford I want more opportunity for my children. I don't want to be stranded in my driveway or the town when the snow hits anymore. I want to be able to have an evening to myself at the coffee shop, book store, craft store....or yoga studio (past 6pm). I want my daughters to do dance, ballet, hip hop or any sports their heart desires that isn't limited by lack of coaching. I do not mean to offend the people that love Elkford and choose to raise their families there. We are all different we all have different desires. So anyways after Luka was born the itch emerged again marking the sixth month ish mark after we had agreed that we should try and move on from Elkford. I definitely was getting antsy, I am sure the never ending winters and the two busy babies had something to do with it all but needless to say I had an itch that needing scratching. We didn't really know where to start with the whole process and most everyone would probably agree that putting our house up for sale was doing things a little backwards....I would have to say I agree but looking back I don't really know how we could have done things any different.
So the house went up for sale and the questions from friends and family and our little town began..."where are you guys moving, what are you guys doing"? I loved the reactions we got when we replied - "I don't know". Rest assured my friends I know it may have seemed as though we were walking a little bit blindly but there was a bit of a plan some where in there. Poor Erick who is definitely a planner in more ways than one did have some anxiety with this process, but we made it through. Of course this whole journey we were on lead Erick and I to have many conversations about where we were going to go and what we were going to do and we bonked heads a lot! But than all of a sudden our house sold!!! Holy crap holy crap....now its decision making time. The way everything happened was all sort of crazy Erick and I will both tell you that it is all unreal how the next few months unfolded. We were visiting Kamloops when we got word that the house sold...."its a sign". I have always wanted to move back to Kamloops and it was one of the main places that we both liked and I was job shopping on line here for Erick since the day we planned on moving. While we were still on our trip in Kamloops we got word that there was a job opening here at the Teck owned mine. "Another sign". Of course as soon as we got home I revamped Erick's resume and sent it off......So after my realization that it was important to Erick to stay working with Teck the company that he has worked for for the last 15 years our plan became apparent to us. We will move to Kamloops if Erick gets this job or we will move to Cranbrook if he does not get the job either way Erick remains with Teck and his years of hard work and service will remain in tact and we will be moving out of Elkford. Ohh....the waiting....luckily it wasn't too long. Oh and did I mention the people that bought our house didn't want in it for 2.5 months. This gave us time to organize our lives...
I could go on about the details and the process in which we got here but lets just say that we were extremely blessed. Erick got an amazing job opportunity that was pretty hard to turn down. We are here in Kamloops! We miss our families and friends in a bad way.....but the adventures that the 4 of us have already been on since we left Elkford have been pretty great. I don't think any of our friends or family who are sad to see us leave would ask us to give up any of these great family memories that we now have.
I will say this though...these words have been in my heart since the moment I knew that it was time for me to leave Elkford....
Elkford is a part of who we are...in no way are we walking away and never turning back. We will be back (at christmas of course) and we will be back often. We are the small town people. We love the wilderness, the community and the sense that each person we know there is a part of the story of our lives in some way or another. We thank you Elkford for everything that you have given us...be it education, jobs, memories both happy and sad.....we are who we are today because we were raised in Elkford....for that we are greatly and forever thankful. We will forever have small town hearts we just have big city dreams......
I have written lots before about my desire to move on from the little town of Elkford. Since having my girls I have felt that Elkford just isn't a good fit for me and us anymore. It has been just over a year since first discussing my desire to move with Erick and after many a long talks we decided that we would set a 1-2 year goal of moving our little family. I knew that it wasn't going to be an easy move in many more ways than just one. We have a lot of deep connections to Elkford. I get asked the question quite often why I want to leave Elkford or what part of Elkford don't I like. The easiest answer I have for that is that I am bored in Elkford I want more opportunity for my children. I don't want to be stranded in my driveway or the town when the snow hits anymore. I want to be able to have an evening to myself at the coffee shop, book store, craft store....or yoga studio (past 6pm). I want my daughters to do dance, ballet, hip hop or any sports their heart desires that isn't limited by lack of coaching. I do not mean to offend the people that love Elkford and choose to raise their families there. We are all different we all have different desires. So anyways after Luka was born the itch emerged again marking the sixth month ish mark after we had agreed that we should try and move on from Elkford. I definitely was getting antsy, I am sure the never ending winters and the two busy babies had something to do with it all but needless to say I had an itch that needing scratching. We didn't really know where to start with the whole process and most everyone would probably agree that putting our house up for sale was doing things a little backwards....I would have to say I agree but looking back I don't really know how we could have done things any different.
So the house went up for sale and the questions from friends and family and our little town began..."where are you guys moving, what are you guys doing"? I loved the reactions we got when we replied - "I don't know". Rest assured my friends I know it may have seemed as though we were walking a little bit blindly but there was a bit of a plan some where in there. Poor Erick who is definitely a planner in more ways than one did have some anxiety with this process, but we made it through. Of course this whole journey we were on lead Erick and I to have many conversations about where we were going to go and what we were going to do and we bonked heads a lot! But than all of a sudden our house sold!!! Holy crap holy crap....now its decision making time. The way everything happened was all sort of crazy Erick and I will both tell you that it is all unreal how the next few months unfolded. We were visiting Kamloops when we got word that the house sold...."its a sign". I have always wanted to move back to Kamloops and it was one of the main places that we both liked and I was job shopping on line here for Erick since the day we planned on moving. While we were still on our trip in Kamloops we got word that there was a job opening here at the Teck owned mine. "Another sign". Of course as soon as we got home I revamped Erick's resume and sent it off......So after my realization that it was important to Erick to stay working with Teck the company that he has worked for for the last 15 years our plan became apparent to us. We will move to Kamloops if Erick gets this job or we will move to Cranbrook if he does not get the job either way Erick remains with Teck and his years of hard work and service will remain in tact and we will be moving out of Elkford. Ohh....the waiting....luckily it wasn't too long. Oh and did I mention the people that bought our house didn't want in it for 2.5 months. This gave us time to organize our lives...
I could go on about the details and the process in which we got here but lets just say that we were extremely blessed. Erick got an amazing job opportunity that was pretty hard to turn down. We are here in Kamloops! We miss our families and friends in a bad way.....but the adventures that the 4 of us have already been on since we left Elkford have been pretty great. I don't think any of our friends or family who are sad to see us leave would ask us to give up any of these great family memories that we now have.
I will say this though...these words have been in my heart since the moment I knew that it was time for me to leave Elkford....
Elkford is a part of who we are...in no way are we walking away and never turning back. We will be back (at christmas of course) and we will be back often. We are the small town people. We love the wilderness, the community and the sense that each person we know there is a part of the story of our lives in some way or another. We thank you Elkford for everything that you have given us...be it education, jobs, memories both happy and sad.....we are who we are today because we were raised in Elkford....for that we are greatly and forever thankful. We will forever have small town hearts we just have big city dreams......
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The last 24 hours have proven to be testing...I didn’t sleep much if at all last night. Baby Lulu was just not settling. My ass is sore because I sit in that chair all night long....sleep nursing. Universe a lazy boy recliner would be such a blessing. Today at one point I had both of my sweeties crying one from her swing and the other at my feet reaching up at me. I was preparing lunch but the crying didn’t stop when lunch was ready. Kaia was angry with me because Teddy wasn’t allowed to sit on her lap while we ate lunch. After persuading her to put Teddy in his own chair and give him a few bites of lunch she was settled to eat. Sometimes it is such a test of wills between the two of us both so stubborn.
Nap time...ohh nap time of course one napped and one cried. I look at the looming mess all over my living room my un showered smelly self and the laundry and and and.....oh I had my fingers crossed that my littlest will nap so I can at least shower. Luckily she did let me shower but only that. She hung out with me while I toweled and blow-dried. I figured if she was going to fight a snooze she might as well have a bath too. So now both babes sleep. I don’t smell and my house is somewhat “tidy”. Everything is so much work these days. I need to stop and remind myself to be take a breath and relax enjoy the moment. I have learned with my first that time just flies so quickly by I don’t want to wish any of it away, even the difficult times. Oddly enough week two is proving to be more difficult than week one with Erick back to work.
Nap time...ohh nap time of course one napped and one cried. I look at the looming mess all over my living room my un showered smelly self and the laundry and and and.....oh I had my fingers crossed that my littlest will nap so I can at least shower. Luckily she did let me shower but only that. She hung out with me while I toweled and blow-dried. I figured if she was going to fight a snooze she might as well have a bath too. So now both babes sleep. I don’t smell and my house is somewhat “tidy”. Everything is so much work these days. I need to stop and remind myself to be take a breath and relax enjoy the moment. I have learned with my first that time just flies so quickly by I don’t want to wish any of it away, even the difficult times. Oddly enough week two is proving to be more difficult than week one with Erick back to work.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
peace for the moment
Ahh I love weekends. Erick is home from work and chaos is somewhat settled. Right now is the season for “shed hunting”. To explain the deer and elk lose their antlers this time of year and my husband loves to hike all over the valley to find these antlers. Luckily Kaia loves to go in the back pack and hike with Erick. They have hiked everyday this weekend and yesterday they hiked twice. Erick says that Kaia sings and talks the whole hike. She loves the fresh air and the scenery and I love the couple of hours of quiet at home, well when Luka is napping that is. Erick and Kaia are on a hike right now Luka is in her swing post bath bliss I suppose and I am sitting on this computer coffee in hand. I can’t really complain. Oh and my wonderful husband just washed my floors.....peace. The snow is melting and I am so very happy that spring is starting to spring. Bundling my babies is so much work I can’t wait until I can go outside and all I have to apply is hats and sunscreen. But I am sure I will find something else to complain about when that time comes.
My itch to get out of this town has not subsided it still lingers we just haven’t scratched it yet. We have been talking a lot more about it lately. Moving doesn’t seem like it is going to be easy for us. We are being really cautious and picky. We don’t want to take a pay cut and I don’t know if I like the idea of Erick working away. Erick going back to working on tools as an electrician would mean a pay cut and it doesn’t seem like there are many planning jobs around. Something just might have to give though....a sacrifice made....money is so evil. The houses here are selling....so I do feel like it is a great time for us to get a move on. Oh life why do you have to be so complicated. Universe...PLEASE I beg.....
For now though I will bask in my momentary peace.....
Thursday, March 8, 2012
My baby girl has arrived...
Luka Ann Canlas born Feb 16th....she almost made it on her Lolo’s birthday but this little girl wanted her own special day. Mom has gone home and Erick is back to work Luka is three weeks old today and the routine and reality that I have two children is starting to set in. I have survived my first week with Erick back to work and I actually managed to get to two play groups. My poor little Kaia gets so bored when we are home for a day without doing anything. Her boredom translates as a whinny unhappy little girl, which then usually results in a whinny unhappy Mama. So although packing up my little girls is a lot of work it does pay off. I would have to say though my house is a pig sty....fitting in cleaning is still on my agenda of things to figure out.
Finding the time to sit on the computer, knit, sew or anything by myself between naps, meals and nursing has proven challenging. I often have one in my arms and one pulling my finger to take me to her room to play. This is her favorite thing to do. She just loves to have us sit with her in her room while she plays. She tried grabbing Luka’s little hand to come and play with her. Luka now joins us as we hunker down on the floor and watch Kaia play and make a mess. When Kaia naps I am usually found trying to fit Luka and my laptop on my lap while I nurse her. Just for that brief little bit of mindless wonder.
Everything is still here there and everywhere....and I don’t really know what is up or down sometimes but I am surviving and determined that when all this dust settles I will have figured out how to have some time for myself...a relatively tidy house and a happy healthy couple of girls.....
Finding the time to sit on the computer, knit, sew or anything by myself between naps, meals and nursing has proven challenging. I often have one in my arms and one pulling my finger to take me to her room to play. This is her favorite thing to do. She just loves to have us sit with her in her room while she plays. She tried grabbing Luka’s little hand to come and play with her. Luka now joins us as we hunker down on the floor and watch Kaia play and make a mess. When Kaia naps I am usually found trying to fit Luka and my laptop on my lap while I nurse her. Just for that brief little bit of mindless wonder.
Everything is still here there and everywhere....and I don’t really know what is up or down sometimes but I am surviving and determined that when all this dust settles I will have figured out how to have some time for myself...a relatively tidy house and a happy healthy couple of girls.....
Sunday, February 12, 2012
I'm ready little baby
Feb 12 2012
Well hello...two days overdue....almost 2 weeks into my Mom’s visit....and still no feelings of any sort of cramps or twinges.
I can honestly say that although life has been harder in the sense of caring for my little monsters with a basketball in my gut I have not felt ready to be done done done more so then I do now. Shortness of breath, mobility constraints, bladder issues and tiredness have now all taken their toll and taken me to the place of being ready. I am ready to hold my baby; I am ready to play with Kaia for longer than minutes at a time. It is funny that I say I am ready though because I still have moments where I feel like I don’t really think the reality has set in. The reality that I am going to have two monsters really hasn’t set in. I am physically ready and I have my home ready....but boy mentally I don’t think I know what is about to hit me. I don’t think Kaia really knows what is about to hit her too. I keep trying to tell her that there is a baby in my tummy and I play with her dolls like I would a newborn. But I just don’t think that any amount pretend play or talking will really prepare my little 16 month olds mind what is about to happen.
Well if it ever does happen.
My sister in-law informed me that Erick’s late father’s birthday is on Feb 17th. Maybe that is what this little baby is waiting for. It would be a great honour. I don’t know what day or what time. But I am ready.
Well hello...two days overdue....almost 2 weeks into my Mom’s visit....and still no feelings of any sort of cramps or twinges.
I can honestly say that although life has been harder in the sense of caring for my little monsters with a basketball in my gut I have not felt ready to be done done done more so then I do now. Shortness of breath, mobility constraints, bladder issues and tiredness have now all taken their toll and taken me to the place of being ready. I am ready to hold my baby; I am ready to play with Kaia for longer than minutes at a time. It is funny that I say I am ready though because I still have moments where I feel like I don’t really think the reality has set in. The reality that I am going to have two monsters really hasn’t set in. I am physically ready and I have my home ready....but boy mentally I don’t think I know what is about to hit me. I don’t think Kaia really knows what is about to hit her too. I keep trying to tell her that there is a baby in my tummy and I play with her dolls like I would a newborn. But I just don’t think that any amount pretend play or talking will really prepare my little 16 month olds mind what is about to happen.
Well if it ever does happen.
My sister in-law informed me that Erick’s late father’s birthday is on Feb 17th. Maybe that is what this little baby is waiting for. It would be a great honour. I don’t know what day or what time. But I am ready.
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