Ready for another run at the cup??

Tuesday night I was spoiled.

My good friend Alicia, whose family has seasons tickets for the Canucks, invited me to the game against New York. While the game was awful (let's just not talk about that), there were some great moments.

Let's begin with the afternoon before I left for the game. 

Carleigh told the kids, "Say good bye to Kathleen, because she won't be home until after you've gone to bed! She's going to the hockey game!"

Charlee, eyes like saucers, breathed slowly as she exclaimed:
"Kathleen, are you PLAYING in the hockey game?"

I laughed and explained, no, I was just watching the game.

To which Charlee and Jane, in unison, as if they just found out that raisins are actually dried grapes, complete with the head tilt, said:
"Oooooooooooh"

Then when we arrived at the arena, Alicia looked at me and curiously questioned:
"So, who are you going to run into tonight?"

For as long as Alicia and I have been attending Canucks games together (5 + years?), I have always run into someone I know. Once, standing in line for the washroom, I saw a girl I'd met in Costa Rica. Another time, a picture of two boys from the college flashed onto the big screen. Yet another time, this happened.  So, it wasn't that surprising when, between the 2nd and 3rd periods, I looked down a few rows and saw a man standing, having a stretch. I laughed out loud and turned to Alicia:
"Found him. See the guy in the blue shirt, black jacket? That's my cousin Chris!"

My cousin, whom I probably last saw about 5 years ago, was sitting with his teenage son, in some excellent seats near the glass. So, I ran down and said hi. I came back to my seat, and Alicia and I just laughed. It is my destiny to always know someone in my outings to Vancouver...as long as Alicia joins me.

And then there were the tears.

I have to admit that while the Canucks played so disappointingly on Tuesday night, they had good reason. Prior to the start of the game, they shared a tribute to Rick Rypien, their team member who passed away over the summer. It was a beautiful tribute. When it was done, and we were about to sing the national anthem, I turned to Alicia and said: "And how the heck are they supposed to play after that??"

So yes, there were great moments during my initiation into the 2011-12 season.

And here we go again...

today's 5 page paper brought to you by...

Yes please.

Newest Miss Representation Trailer (2011 Sundance Film Festival Official Selection) from Miss Representation on Vimeo.

the boy is in the house.

Sometimes I feel for Bo.
With Dad at work during the day (and sometimes away on work trips), Bo spends a lot of time with the girls.

Tonight, as I type this, I can hear him playing with his trains and singing:

Shake your quake!
Shake, shake your quake!

I have no idea what this means.

Today I came home and Bo was excited to tell me he spent time with Ollie...an equally rambunctious little boy. The two together act like dinosaurs high on testosterone and skittles. While I think it's awesome for Bodhi to spend time with cool little boys like Ollie, I also instantly notice the effects.

For example:
Me: Bo, tell me a story.
Bo: Once upon a time there was this little ghost. He fell in the dirt. Hahahaha (Bo, now doubled over in dorky chuckles), that was so funny, Kaleen.
Me: Ok... Um, Bo tell me another story.
Bo: Um, Once upon a time, there was this monster. And..he hit his head on a shelf. He said, "OH MY GOODNESS". Hahahahaha (more dorky chuckles), that was so funny, Kaleen.

I now understand that the boys at the college I work at all started here.

And everything makes more sense.

these kids.

Yesterday, with the help of Lana, I had the kids to myself from about 1pm until around midnight. While I do the occasional "shift" with the kids, I can't remember the last time my shift was this long. I think it might have been pre-Jane. 

In the past, one of these fun shifts involved a lot of puking...and a lot of laundry.

Thankfully, yesterday, I am proud to report, there was no puking...and minimal laundry.

Instead, I am equally proud to report, we had lunch, we piled into my Honda Fit (fyi, a Honda Fit can hold two booster seats and a carseat in the back - this car never ceases to amaze me), we went to the park, we watched "Fly Away Home" (anyone remember this gem?), we had dinner (I may have given the kids their weekly consumption of fish between lunch's tuna fish sandwiches and dinner's tilapia filets...), and we even made cookies. I consider the day a phenomenal success.

I love these kids.

Who wouldn't?

How 'bout I scrub the toilets?

Tonight, Gary's at the game.

(Sadly, as I'm writing this, the Canucks just lost. 

To the Penguins. 

In overtime. 

The reality of game 7 of the final series is still just too close. 

I didn't even watch it tonight. 

I just wasn't ready.)

Anyways, while Gary was at the game, Carleigh and I took the kids to a restaurant. 

This restaurant may or may not have a large play area. 

And may or may not give you a golden crown to wear. 

We may or may not be embarrassed that we went there. 

It may or may not have broken some of our health goals. 

Moving on...

On the way home, Bodhi was insisting that he was NOT tired. NOT sleepy. NOT going to bed.

Carleigh and I let him know we were sooooo tired.
Carleigh told him he was welcome to stay up, but we would all go to bed. 

Trying to help Carleigh out, I turned around and said:

Yeah, Bo, and if you want to stay up, then you have to do the laundry, and wash the dishes, and mow the lawn, and put away your toys. 

So...would you rather do that or would you rather read a book and go to bed?

A second of silence, and...:

Um, I'd rather do the projects.

Well. 

That backfired.

I should have known better. 

Bodhi will always have the comeback.