A Bit of Everything

Today, I conquered the laundry pile!! All is folded and placed in appropriate rooms to be put away but due to 2 boys with violin lessons and 2 boys with hockey practice, this evening, I am afraid that is as far as it will get for today. My part here is done!

It has happened - Winter has arrived and we are getting a blast, over 30 accidents in the city and stopping at stop signs almost impossible. Today, I am thankful for getting our winter tires on last week instead of waiting! You know the whole procrastination factor.

Reflecting on the last few weeks has made me thankful for many other things - My husband loves me and (here it is Dear) I love him. I think I am very lucky for that. We are trying to raise three happy, healthy well adjusted children in light of challenging situations. Dear being away often, family members who refuse to participate (No family is perfect), and life's everyday challenges. Through it all we have each other. and are learning to live with the things we cannot change.

You know life's challenges - to lie or not to lie has been a challenge in the past few weeks for Tristen and I hope from now on he chooses not to. He had a little accident and cut his finger needing 12 stitches. He cut it on the rail of his bed, so he said. He refused the stitches ,as soon as, he saw the needle started screaming - then the Doctor refused to stitch it because of his behaviour. No hockey for a week, at least he was told and a longer healing time. I felt uneasy about the way he said he cut his finger but he has never lied to me so off I went and told people what happened to his finger (Nothing like enlisting your Mom to lie for you). On Remembrance day he refused to wear a button up shirt so I went into his closet to get him one and low and behold his multi tool was sitting opened on the dresser with blood on the blade. Seeing red, literally, would be an understatement. I made it very clear that by the end of the day he would tell m e the truth of what happened and Dear explained to him the implications of what he did. Still he lied until the end of the evening when he told me the truth but in a joking manner! Yes, cocky. So, what do you do for that? We grounded him from hockey (even though he was oked to play ) , he had to apologize to people he lied to and he had to donate 50 dollars to his hockey team. two important things to him - hockey and money. One parent told me I had punished the team by the punishment I gave him- my response NO, I punished him, he punished the team by his behaviour - How did she not see that? Oh well, He lived and is playing again - until and unless he lies again, then no hockey for the rest of the season!

Jacob and Will - they are playing hockey as well. Jacob is going to be the goalie this weekend, he is very excited about that. Will - he just wants to have fun! The pictures top highway along the way, top left Tristen, left Will in his first hockey game and right Jacob waiting to go on.