Hello 2016

A new year is beginning soon. I wonder what it will bring. This past year has been exciting. I turned 40. On a cruise ship! With my fabulous travelling companion, we had a wonderful time and I think that trip was the best week of the year. I also really enjoyed our summer together, having all of August off was really nice. I hope we are able to do that again this coming summer.

Jackson has changed and grown a lot over the past year. He has matured a lot, starting grade 1 was difficult at first but I would say it has been great for him. He has learned to read! Seriously. It is amazing to watch him learn and figure things out. I love how smart he is, except when he uses it against me. He remembers everything! And he is my life. He is a smart, fun, funny, active kid. I sometimes think I am not the best mother, but he is turning out to be a great kid so I must be doing something right. For 2016 I want to do better, to yell even less, to play more, to just enjoy being a mom.

We've had a difficult year with pets, lost poor Joshua and Riley. Brought home Kit Kat. He has recently been saying that he misses Riley. Or that he wants a new dog, one who is friendly and plays with him. I tell him we have to wait awhile longer. I think we will wait until we can buy a house and move, perhaps a dog, or perhaps another cat. I do love cats. Jackson does as well, he is so good with the cats, I think it is good for kids to have pets and he is so great with them, well the two youngest, not our old guy who runs away from him still. No plans for a new pet in 2016 but you never know.

Speaking of houses, I hope to buy in 2016. It greatly depends on if we finally get a new contract at work and I get some back pay and payouts. It would make for a down payment. What house we buy will be a great debate. I think we will stay in the same school zone. Jackson has made some good friends in school and I think it would be nice for him to keep them. It limits us quite a bit, since there are limited homes in the school zone. And fewer that would be in the budget. Which is another debate, do I get just what we need or what we would really want. Guess I have time to decide all of that!

I hope that 2016 will be filled with fun, and some travel, and perhaps a new job. Not sure what else. It doesn't really seem like a whole year has gone by. It is strange how quickly time seems to pass. Looking from one day to the next always with something else waiting to get done. I think for 2016 I want to slow down, to enjoy the moments. That is my goal.

The Christmas Season

How did I forget about how busy this time of year is? From the start of December and getting ready for the birthday party, to getting ready for the big day, it is non-stop! I look forward to the weekends which seem to be slower than the weekdays for some reason. Only one week to go! I actually booked a few days off in order to get everything done, It doesn't seem like enough though. I hate feeling so overwhelmed by everything. The house is a disaster, there are so many toys all over the place, and I don't even know where to begin but it needs to get organized. So baby steps, starting this weekend. We don't really need to do anything this weekend, though if the weather is nice perhaps we'll get out for a bit.

Still no snow! Knock wood. I am not sad that we may actually have a green Christmas this year. I didn't hire a snowplow service this year, so I am glad for any extra days I get without having to shovel. It would be nice for kiddo to have to play in, but I am quite sure we'll get lots. Since the dog is gone the backyard would actually be fun to play in this year too.

My parents are coming to visit over the holidays, they will stay with my sister and her family, we have too many cats and my dad has allergies. Plus they don't like the way I keep house so it works out for the best. I prefer it really, I like my space and don't like to share. I have a hard enough time sharing with my kid. They will come for dinner on the 24th and come on the 25th to see Jackson with his gifts. Then we go to my sister's for dinner on the 25th. And hope she does something good. I am supposed to take dessert, which I will pick up on the 24th on my way home from work I think.

Jackson had a hard time deciding on what he wants this year, I am honestly not really sure what he does want from Santa, but I am sure he will love his gifts any way. I got myself a calendar and he made me something in school. I also did a stocking for myself, so there will be something for me. I would much rather watch him open his gifts, and see his eyes when he gets his presents. But if I don't have a stocking he will be suspicious.

I have one more day of work this week, am off until Wednesday, do a half day Thursday with Jackson at work (so no real work), then I'm off until January 4th. Jackson may go to day two days over the holidays, but we'll see. I don't think we'll be sledding this year, so perhaps we'll go to swimming or something. I am sure it will be so nice to just relax for a bit and not really do anything. For both of us!

A 6th Birthday Party

Today we had Jackson's birthday party. We went back to Gym Tale as we have the past two years, and it was fun as always. They do a good party but I suspect this is the last time we'll be able to go there. The boys were a bit overwhelming. I am very glad the party was not at the house! There were 6 boys total, The party was supposed to be for 8, including the birthday boy, but we had two reply they couldn't come and two others who never replied. So 5 other kids and my own. My goodness they were active! There is a big play structure and they had 30 minutes to run around first. They were all sweaty and red faced by the end of that time. Then an obstacle course, ending with a ball fight against a monster. And after that the party room for pizza and cake. We didn't open the gifts there, but brought them home instead. He got a few good things! Some lego, dinosaur stuff, all things he will enjoy for sure.

His actual birthday is not until the 9th. We will head out for dinner that night. My parent's sent him a restaurant gift card so the meal is on him :-)  The day after he has a dentist appointment to get two cavities filled. Poor kid with his teeth. He is so good at the dentist though, he's had a checkup with temporary fillings put in, and a cleaning. He is much better about brushing after the checkup too. Hopefully no more cavities!

Things are going pretty well. He is doing well at school, he can read! It is a little bit weird to me. There have been some issues with his emotions, he is a very sensitive kid and kids are mean. So he gets teased and called a cry baby by some. We talk about it. I feel bad, since I am the same way. But of course I am a girl. We work on that, and on him not caring what other people think of him, or the things he likes. We write in an I Like Book every night, one thing I like about him and one thing he likes about himself. He also likes to put in one thing he likes about me. We have only just started but I think it will help. I hope it will any way.

Christmas is coming. We put the tree up today but will decorate it tomorrow. I wanted to give the cats a chance to get used to it, and see if they are going to try and knock it over! Especially Kit Kat who is a bit of a hooligan! The other two should be used to it of course. It is lit up, and looks lovely just like that, but we'll add some unbreakable ornaments to it tomorrow.

Next weekend we will go to a Christmas party and he'll sit with Santa. Do all that stuff. It will be fun, and we'll enjoy it. We didn't write a letter, again, I don't think we ever have. He isn't interested. We do have a darn elf on a shelf... I have remembered to move the silly thing every night so far, So far so good any way. He also has a toy advent calendar, which he loves. Though he is having a hard time waiting each day to open a box. Patience is not one of his best virtues. But he is a good kid, and he is my boy.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween was pretty good this year. Jackson is at an age to love it. And I was healthy and able to take him out, plus it was on Saturday so we did a bunch of stuff. Friday he got dressed up as a pirate and went to school. He looked pretty good I think. He had fun, they got a few treats, he handed out pencils to everyone. Saturday we went to a local mall, they do trick or treating at the stores, and he got a lot of candy. Most of it chocolate. One thing about my boy, he doesn't like chocolate, except Smarties, So I got a lot of treats! Then he dressed up as a ninja to go out, it was good weather so his black hoodie under the costume added to it, and he looked pretty cute. He got a lot of candy, but his favourite treats were the chips. Which he has eaten almost all of! Crazy. We left out a bucket of treats for kids to help themselves, and most of it was gone when we got home. But there was more in the house, and we only got a handful of kids afterwards. So we have a lot of that left too! So much sugar... so much sugar.

Lots of loot

Pirate for school

Ninja trick or treater

We also got his school pictures, he is so cute! Maybe I am a bit biased though. He is doing really well in school, he is reading stories to me at bedtime, very cute. He is learning so much. It is so amazing to see. I can't wait for him to really get it, and to enjoy reading as much as I do. 

We are both sick now though. Stuffy nose and a bit of a cough. First one of the school year, so that's not too bad I guess! I just hope we get some sleep and feel better sooner than later. The time change hasn't helped of course. 

My big Grade 1 boy!

Growing Up

Jackson is at a sleepover tonight. He is at his friend's house, they were playing and he had pizza for supper. I hope he is going to sleep tonight, actually I hope he is asleep now. He will be tired the rest of the weekend, but I guess it's worth it! He will have a lot of fun, I hope he makes it the whole night, but if not I am ready to go get him when I need to. No calls yet though!

It is funny to be home with an empty house. Strange to be able to watch "grown up" tv, and not worry about whether he's asleep yet or not. I guess as he gets older I'll experience this more, sleepovers, even just his going to a friend's house. It is very odd, I'm so used to having him here now. I'm not sure if I like it! Perhaps I'll have to find a new hobby or take a class or something.

Work is work, but I did pass a test for a manager position and am waiting for the next steps in that. It would not be a permanent promotion, and not much of a raise, but the experience would hopefully mean a chance to get the experience I need to get a higher level, better paying, position, and the language training I need. Ultimately, if I am lucky, I can retire at 55, that's 15 years away. But I need a really good 5 years to make the most of the pension, so a higher position would be good. Being in management is more work though, and harder while Jackson is so young. When he is older it would be easier to be late home from work or what have you.

We have both adjusted to back to school, back to work. Jackson is doing well though he sometimes makes comments that make me worry how he is really doing in school. He is quite sensitive and I worry other children are making fun of him, and possibly bullying him, because of it. I am keeping an eye on him, and we talk daily, but I hope I am wrong any way. He enjoys it for the most part, and is learning a lot. But there seem to be some kids who like to be a little too rough. Jackson makes quite a few comments about how he didn't cry, I guess he is like me and will cry more than he likes. Being a boy that of course gets him teased. I have told him that if anyone hurts him he needs to tell the teacher right away. I do not like that I need to tell him that. Being a kid is supposed to be fun and all about learning and growing.

He's lost two more teeth, nothing on top yet, but two more from the bottom. He is very happy to have gotten more money from the tooth fairy. He is learning a lot about money. Some of it he doesn't like. The school has a pizza lunch and last year it was in a few different terms, so it was maybe $24 for the session. This time it is $40 for one slice for the first term, and he wants two slices. So I have said no. And he was mad, so I am sending a mini pizza every Wednesday instead. I can get 4 pizza's for $2 or so, that's 50 cents a meal instead of over $4. I know he'd rather have the school pizza, but he is happy to get pizza at all. He is making funny connections about money though, he says because we went on the trip, 8 months ago, he can't have the pizza at school. Silly boy.

He has decided what he wants to be for Christmas, and it won't be easy! But I will do my best to make it for him. He also knows what he wants for Christmas, and my parents are getting him two of the things. So I can focus on the one left and a few other things. I think we need to get rid of some of the little kid toys though, not sure he'll agree but I hope so! It would be nice to get rid of a few things.

Grade 1

Well yesterday was supposed to be the first day of school, but of course my kiddo woke up with a sore throat and fever! So instead of a first day, he stayed home. Ugh! I did call the school to see who his teacher will be, and he was excited to know it was who he wanted. Today he did go to school, and I am still home because I emailed my boss to take the rest of the week off, I was worried he'd be sick longer than a day, and there is still a chance he'll come home early or need another day off. But he's there! And he was excited to find his desk, and get a cubby, and all of it. We'll see at the end of the day of course, and how much he'll share with me. I hope he has a friend of two in his class. I think there are two grade 1 classes, I know the one boy he has issues with is in the other class (thank goodness!!)  He still isn't feeling 100% so I sent him with chicken noodle soup and some softer foods. The softer foods because his throat hurts and he has another loose tooth!

Instead of going to work today, I went and got groceries. It was worth it, and I am still thinking I will stay off the rest of the week, even though he's feeling better. Manage to avoid work a few more days? Yes please! As long as Jackson doesn't know it will be fine.

Saturday morning we have plans to go to Home Depot and do the free kids craft, it is a nice way to spend the morning and he gets a new something from it. He doesn't like using the hammer because it is hard, but he loves the painting and the screw driver. While we are there I will pick up a part for the toilet upstairs. It keeps running by itself so I know what needs to be replaced, and it looks easy enough. I do rent and could call the landlord to fix it but it would probably cost him like $60 for a plumber plus the part, and I can do it for $15 on my own. It will save me money on water for sure, stupid thing runs on it's own just kind of randomly! Drives me nuts.

It was pay day, wasn't quite as a big a pay day as I wanted, or expected, but it was enough of course. Managed to set a good budget and we'll pick up some fast food for supper. Saves me having to cook and kiddo is always excited. He gets a grown up meal now, he loves it even though he doesn't eat all the food, and I get him OJ or milk with it, he doesn't like soda (pop?) which is probably a good thing.

I am still waiting for a new contract, and wondering what I'll do with the money. Even now I am dreading winter, and wishing I could go on another cruise or trip to Disney, or something! I should be frugal and not waste the money, but man do I want to go somewhere. I don't want to wait another year to do it! I don't think kiddo wants to wait either. He loves the trips, he had so much fun and talks about it all the time. We talk about it at bedtime many nights, and just randomly. He wants to go again and I've told him probably when he is 7, so he is waiting for that. I'd like to surprise him with going sooner. I guess we'll see what happens.

My day is half over, but kiddo still has quite a few hours to go at school. I hope he is having fun, and enjoying the experience. I also hope he will talk about it at the end of the day and tell me about it. Not get distracted as he tends to do. I am looking forward to it.

Almost back to work

Two more days. That's all I have before it's back to work. I am not looking forward to it at all. I don't think I really like my job. In general it's a pay cheque but certainly it's not something I ever thought I'd be doing. What did I expect? No idea really. But now I'm 40 and 15 years (hopefully) from retiring, so it feels like it's too late to change that. I can change positions within the organization, and I will probably be looking to do that. I do not like some of my co-workers at the moment and my boss is so not ready to be the boss. I'm not either but he is just so new to it, and it is frustrating. I'm not sure how to fix it, or help, or change it at all. I do have a test for a sort of promotion, it's a different level but kind of equivalent so I'm not even sure I'd want to do it, except that I could escape the people I work with for a year or so. It's not permanent. In order to really move up, I need to learn French, and I am not good at languages.

Tomorrow is Jackson's last day of summer. He starts Grade 1 on Tuesday. He is quite excited, I hope it goes well. I will be able to take him for the first day, and have him go to daycare after to get used to that. Then Wednesday it's back to it for both of us. Back to some better eating for me, and exercise too. I am looking forward to those parts. Weird. We have no real plans for the day, getting lunches ready, clean the house a bit, perhaps play at the park, if the weather is good because it has been so hot lately!

Today we went swimming at the pool, it was fun. But it was the last time for awhile. I also cleaned out the closets, All the old clothes that don't fit. Got 4 bags of clothes to go! Crazy how much stuff we have that we don't need. It was a starting point any way. There is still a lot to clean up. If we are going to move in a year, then I expect we will need to get rid of a lot of stuff. I know we need to purge some toys too. I've told Jackson he needs to decide on some to get rid of before his birthday in December, and before Christmas. Nothing new until something goes. We'll see how that goes! Today he had so many set up, all over the floor. He was having a lot of fun though, train set, boats in the "harbour" and two airports. It was crazy and messy, and he had a lot of fun. So it was nice.

We actually had a busy week. There were 3 play dates, and swimming, and he had two days of daycare. I kind of enjoyed those two days. It was nice to relax a little on my own. Though of course I also did some grocery shopping, cleaned the house, and did laundry. I'm sure Tuesday will be nice as well, after I drop him off at school I have the day to myself. But I have to prepare for work. And that could be difficult for me. I am not looking forward to it. I think I said that already.