Oct
2013

This time next week…

IMG_5019I miss daddy. I love him.  I am counting down the days. It’s one more week. (as narrated and typed by Emelia)

He said

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This week not only did I cross the threshold into the halfway point on Wednesday, but also by Friday we officially closed week two which meant we had arrived at the two-thirds point! And that left me feeling a whole heck of a lot closer to home. And to Danielle. And to Emelia.

The best part was that on Friday, first thing we had the first of two exams that we take here. This one was for our Mac OS X software certification. We needed an 80% just to pass, and I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t have any nerves going in to it. But, I am happy to say that I passed with a score of 95.6% — only 3 questions wrong. There couldn’t be a better way to roll into our last weekend here having that exam happily out of the way!

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As I mentioned last week, our class continues to bond and become very good friends throughout this experience. We continue to go out for dinners together and plan events as a group. What is surprising is that our class seems to be the only group that is connected this way. We’ve actually inherited someone from another class who works at a store with one of the guys in our group. He told us flat out that our class looks like we’re having so much more fun. And the truth is, we are!

This weekend is a perfect example. Saturday we headed into San Francisco (or as the locals call it “the city“). First stop there was the historic, but equally since commercialized Haight & Ashbury district. The object of our affection there was Amoeba Music, and I was in awe! It was huge, amazing and even though I didn’t find the specific records I went there for, you bet your ass I was able to find others! We continued to explore ‘The Haight‘ in much more detail than Danielle, Emelia and I had the time we came to San Francisco. It was awesome.

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From there we took the requisite pictures at Golden Gate but this time we did it from a lookout on the south side of the bridge. Both of the other times I have been there we crossed and took the pictures from the north side, so this was nice for me to see it from this angle. But, truth be told, the view on the other side is much nicer.

The next stop was The Fisherman’s Wharf, and Pier 39. It was every bit as touristy and cold as the other times we’ve been there — I came very close to buying the same $19.99 San Francisco hoodie that everyone who didn’t dress accordingly does. But, I am proud to say that I didn’t relent!

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The last stop of the night was the downtown core of San Francisco, Union Square, which I don’t think we have ever been too. It felt a lot like New York City. Very busy, very exciting and we had a lot fun. We had dinner at the Golden Gate Bar & Grill which was half games room and half brew pub that had over 100 different beers from all over the world. We had a great evening and put the closing touches on a fantastic day in the city.

Today was a much more easy going day: I got up – when I damn-well wanted to – FaceTimed with Danielle & Emelia; then got a workout in; did laundry; and mostly, just relaxed. I went to Target and for lunch with a few of the guys from the class. It was nice to move at a much slower pace.

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But the best of the weekend was yet to come: When my uncle Don and Aunt Babs learned of my umcoming trip to their city, I was immediately invited for a dinner out with them (they did the same thing last year when I was out her for Creative Training). The best part about it this time was that I am two weeks into three weeks away from my family, and getting have dinner and sit and visit with family for a couple hours was the perfect remedy for the homesickness I’ve been feeling.

We went to an authentic Italian restaurant in Palo Alto called Buca di Beppo. And although, I feel about 30 pounds heavier right now, the food and family was the perfect mix of what I have been missing. And just what I needed to fuel myself for this last week of class which I am certain will blaze by faster than I think.

Just as the title suggests, this time next week, Danielle, Emelia and I will all be back together again. That is pretty much the best thought ever to me right now.

 

She said

As the title suggests we are less than a week until John is finally home. As much as the adventure has been one I am sure he won’t forget I know he is getting quite homesick. Emelia and I are adjusting and getting into a groove with the day to day it is not the same. We have things like birthday celebrations and now Halloween that we are celebrating without him.

IMG_5087This past week was my birthday, nothing big I have never been a big birthday celebration person but it wasn’t quite the same without him. Now family and friends came around and I certainly felt loved but it wasn’t the same as having John home with us. On Sunday I went out for dinner with Helen and Doug and then on Tuesday my best friend Kelli invited Emelia and I over for a visit and dinner to celebrate my actual birthday. Emelia and I were able to talk to John via FaceTime that evening so we could kind of celebrate together. On Monday night we received a special surprise visit from Reece and his very pregnant Mama Norma who brought me beautiful flowers and some of Norma’s amazing homemade jams and preserves she knows I love so much. So all in all I felt the love coming from family and friends who made a rather sad week just that much brighter.

And Emelia and I have managed to keep ourselves very busy trying to have activities planned many of the nights. The weather this week went from OK to darn right cold so it was even more important we busted out the house as much as we could. Emelia’s behaviour this week is MUCH better than last week and she was quite helpful with the house and the kids and was doing amazing with her reading. So we decided to run with the interest in her reading.

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So on this weeks agenda was a trip to the bookstore to get a new book for her collection. She looked at what felt like 100 books before she finally decided but she came home happily that night and tried to help me read her nightly book. As the good week behaviour continued we did something special after Sparks on Thursday night, we went to Target and I let her pick out a small craft kit as a thank you for being such a big girl this week and helping me so much. I know these last few weeks have been hard on her and she is doing so much better. So after painfully long consideration she finally decided on a messenger bag she could decorate herself and we made our way home.

Finally the long work week was done and we were into the weekend. And what to do what to do? I sent a quick text to my friend Susan who is the mother of the Anna and Grace two of Emelia’s best friends and asked if she wanted to bring her four girls over for a playdate while she and I had a glass or two of wine.

So after a quick trip back to Target to pick up some treats and a little gift for their newest addition to the family we were back for an evening of giggling girls and great adult conversation something both moms could really use.

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The night was getting a bit too late so the girls said their good-byes and the moms went home to put their little ones down for the night. Emelia finally settled and I could settle into a party filled Friday night of cleaning and laundry. Yes I do know how to live! Well I did have a couple glasses of wine and some munchies so it was a sad party of one I guess. But I was relaxing after a long week and ready for bed myself.

It was just before bed that I got a message from one of my best friends Maria asking what we were up to on Sunday as she was looking for something to do with her daughter as they had to be out of the house for the day because they had an open house. Sadly they are moving away to Alberta as soon as the house sells so Maria and I are trying to squeeze in as many visits as possible before they leave. But back to that later.

We woke Saturday morning, and the weather was well crap, cold and raining. Yuck. So much for our plans of going to the Pioneer Village to go on their annual trick or treating. We got ready and went off to Emelia’s swim class. The Y had a few halloween activities planned out so Emelia and I stayed around for a while after playing in the Treehouse room and getting some goodies there and then finally coming out where they were doing face painting and crafts. Emelia was so excited to get her face painted as a cat that it took until tonight when I could convince her to have a bath to wash it away. When we got out of the Y the weather was not looking any better, the rain continued and it was really cold. At that time I told her with the coughs she and I have been fighting this week that going to the Village was not an option but we could find something fun to do.

photo 4After a bit of thought we decided a rainy fall day was a perfect day for crafts and making the goodie bags for her classroom Halloween and daycare kids. So we went to the store and got the supplies needed to make 30 little halloween goodie bags. By the time we finished up with that the sky started clearing up and the rain stopped. So we decided to brave it and off we went to the Village for the halloween festivities. The weather was still very cold so we went through Emelia’s dress-up trunk and made a costume we could easily bundle up and off we went.

Emelia adores the Village and she was so excited about all that they had planned, there was a scavenger hunt, trick or treating and a few places that had crafts set up. And of course the highlight of Emelia’s visit always is the print shop to see Poppa in action and make her card on the press. She had a blast, it was cold but we braved it and we were both so glad we made it out. She was quite disappointed that the crappy cold weather had spoiled quite a few plans we had planned so I am glad we made our annual trek there.

By the time we were ready to head out, well I was because I was freezing and with this cough I am fighting I just wanted to get out of the wet and cold. The rain started lightly again so it was our invitation to pack up and head out. We had texted Grandma when we decided to brave the Village asking if she wanted a visitor after we wrapped up. Well we didn’t have ask twice. We made our way over to Grandma and Poppas for a visit and dinner and ended a pretty fantastic day.

photoAnd now we came to today, the cold temperatures continued but it was warmer than yesterday and even the sun decided to peak out for a bit. What a great day to take things slower and catch up on quiet time. I was still not feeling 100% and really needed some more sleep so once I got Emelia breakfast this morning and got her set up with a movie I went back to bed and managed to squeeze in some much needed extra sleep so I could shake this cough. I haven’t been overly sick just enough that you don’t feel 100% and tired. By the time I was up for the morning Emelia and I were ready to take on the day. The highlight of our morning however was a nice long FaceTime visit with John. Emelia has been missing him so much and with the limited time she can actually talk to him it was great to have almost an hour to catch up, especially for Miss E.

We did sadly have to say good-bye as we had to get errands done before Emma and Maria came over today. I had to squeeze in a grocery run before they arrived and once we grabbed lunch we were out the door again. This time to Phillmore’s to get our pumpkin for Emelia’s carving event at Uncle Greg’s place this week. I picked up some mini-pumpkins for the daycare kids this week as well as a couple for Emma and Emelia to decorate this afternoon.

photo 6As we arrived to grab our pumpkins poor Miss Emma was starting to have a hard time, her daddy has been gone ahead of them to Alberta while they try and sell the house here. Emma was having I really miss my daddy moment so Maria and I decided that both the girls needed a fun distraction. So after paying for our pumpkins we went across the street to the huge Halloween store and let the girls have a ball. And they did. They tried on just about every display hat, mask and accessory in the store. An hour later after both girls were nicely distracted we made our way back home. The girls played, the moms chatted and we ended the weekend with some amazing friends. What else could a girl ask for.

So yes it was a busy week but it made the week fly by, and this time next week John will be home and all will be right in TeeterPod3.

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