tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62631544836155341102024-03-13T07:47:27.917-07:00Lehn LifeLehn Life is a blog about the ups and downs, ins and outs of life with two small boys!Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.comBlogger274125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-64265104486721663432011-07-13T21:18:00.000-07:002011-07-13T21:25:22.018-07:00Resolution Report - May AND JuneHere's how things are going with this year's resolutions...Complete one anti-Hoarding project per month until December.Actually got four things accomplished in May and June. So proud of myself!1. Filing – done! What a chore that was, but all the paperwork is carefully filed FINALLY.2. Purge Kids’ rooms – oh, wow. This was indeed a chore as they are very reluctant to part with toys, even though Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-90979986252441757622011-07-10T10:04:00.000-07:002011-07-10T10:40:14.119-07:00Summer 2011Hello - long time no post!The last month of school was very busy for the boys and I. Mike was in Brazil for work for 7 weeks, and I was working a ton as part of the team rolling out new computer hardware and software to all our locations. That project is still ongoing until the end of this month, but the boys are out of school and Mike is now back, so we are able to relax into summer a little Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-79601132044364028162011-05-13T16:59:00.001-07:002011-05-13T17:14:22.399-07:00Mother's DayI am stealing a few moments to write this as Ethan snores on the couch and Jack is occupied. E's been home sick for a couple of days and has slept just about all of it. I'm jealous! Would love some snooze time for me, too...And Jack is in his room after having announced to me that "If you want to come in, you definitely have to knock first" which is more than slightly alarming. Maybe he's Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-75165551557684640942011-05-09T09:38:00.000-07:002011-05-09T10:36:05.179-07:00Resolution Report - March AND AprilComplete one anti-Hoarding project per month until December.Did an awesome job of the garage although that always feels a little futile. Every time I clean it up, it only takes a couple of weeks before it's out of control again. May is going to be a filing month for sure, though! I've got everything in piles in the office and will be getting it all away as soon as we've finished this year's taxesTamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-43910404530191316162011-04-11T21:58:00.000-07:002011-04-11T22:06:16.867-07:00Define: PidI am working late but must slip in this conversation I had with Ethan today in the car:E - What does "pid" mean?T - Can you spell that?E - P - I - D.T - Never heard of it. Was it in a book?E - Yes, Mummy, PID!T - Give it to me in a sentence.E - My name is Stu Pid.T - (chuckle chuckle) Say it faster, E.E - Stu Pid.T - Try it again.E - STU PID.T - Faster!E - Stupid. Stupid Stupid STUPID!(Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-14746087451738893902011-04-08T20:52:00.000-07:002011-04-08T21:11:26.123-07:00MeMe from CathyIt's been ages since I've written, and I have plans to post about March and resolution tracking, and also our recent fantastic trip to Maui over spring break! In the meantime, here's a quick and dirty post, courtesy of my friend and faithful reader, Cathy, who tagged me in a meme. Here are my responses!1) How many naked people would it take to freak you out?Ooh, it would only take one naked Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-71889297518443967962011-03-04T15:33:00.001-08:002011-03-04T15:38:06.853-08:00Resolution Report on FebruaryEthan's ResolutionsKeep my room clean. Well, the floor is tidy right at this second. Does that count? Not to stash things in my room. FAIL. There is stuff stashed EVERYWHERE in his room.I will try not to hit Jack. Sigh. Do I really need to report on this? I think you all know how brothers work.I will not yell at anybody. Oh, Ethan. Did you really set the bar this high?To not get mad when I Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-5745525292943835512011-02-22T23:05:00.000-08:002011-02-23T00:11:51.245-08:0040x40Here it is - the 40 Before 40 list! New Year's Resolution is to get 5 done this year, but if all goes well I should get 11 in 2011!DONE1. Read up on Religion 101 or Religion for Dummies2. Perform one random act of kindness every month, anonymously and without recognition3. Swim with sharks4. Learn to scuba dive - vetoed due to potential explosion of the heart 5. Sample more cuisines of the world Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-3100530589405784122011-01-31T20:19:00.000-08:002011-01-31T20:47:16.095-08:00Resolution Report - JanuaryOK, one month in and here's where I'm at:1. Complete one anti-Hoarding project per month until December.Actually did 2-1/2! Trunk and ottoman in the living room both cleared out. Added two new storage cubes – one for piano books, one for Wii/xBox controllers. Cleared out my closet. Bonus! also totally reorganized the shed when I was packing away the Christmas decorations.2. Finish all 3 runs in Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-11143889082975759322011-01-16T22:13:00.001-08:002011-03-04T15:30:47.892-08:00The Boys by AlphabetA - Awesome. BothB - Busy. BothC - Cute. JackD - Demanding. EthanE - EthanF - Funny. JackG - Generous. JackH - Hot-tempered. EthanI - Inattentive. JackJ - JackK - Kind. BothL - Loving. EthanM - Memory. EthanN - Nice. EthanO - Outgoing. BothP - Personable. JackQ - Questioning. BothR - Reliable. EthanS - Stubborn. EthanT - Thoughtful. EthanU - Unique. BothV - Vain. JackW - Wild. BothX - Xcitable. Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-10155713447163411532011-01-16T21:22:00.000-08:002011-01-16T22:12:27.356-08:002011 Resolutions#1 - post resolutions on New Year's Day - FAIL. Oh well. At least it's still January.Christmas was lots of fun, and although the week leading up to Christmas was quite busy, the week after was calm. The boys really enjoyed their vacation, and so did I! We chose to stay home New Year's Eve and let the boys stay up until midnight. They made it, although it was a close one for Jack - we had to nudgeTamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-60716043542972558112010-12-24T19:32:00.001-08:002010-12-24T19:48:03.687-08:00December Days - 24I have been anticipating today's advent activity for a while now: "Go snowshoeing".Since we have no snow, we drove up to Cypress Mountain this morning (home to all Olympic snowboard and freestyle skiing events) and although it was pouring rain, it was great! I got my Christmas present from Mike a day early - snowshoes of my own! The boys all rented, and off we went!Here are Mike and Ethan on the Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-58398373403177728632010-12-24T19:29:00.000-08:002010-12-24T19:32:38.266-08:00December Days - 23Today's advent was a cop-out, I admit. "Eat treats and drink egg nog" - well, duh! I've been doing that EVERY day! But 2 days before Christmas when I worked all day, well it had to be simple. So after dinner Jack enjoyed a candy cane, Ethan and I had shortbread and Mike had an egg nog. Then all was good, advent fulfilled and off to bed!Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-39357334252183645712010-12-22T17:14:00.001-08:002010-12-22T17:18:56.100-08:00December Days - 22Yey! Today's activity was ice skating!Over the Christmas holidays, one of our local arenas has daily public ice time for only $2.50 each. Stick and Puck for ages 5-12 at 11:30, then Family Skate at 12:30. Perfect!They had a blast!Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-33881773126077696002010-12-21T20:15:00.000-08:002010-12-21T20:23:33.351-08:00December Days - 21Jack was pretty disappointed when today's Advent Activity was "Christmas shopping". Hey, sometimes you just have to stuff the necessary things in there, too, you know? But he was choked. So after work, instead of dragging them out shopping, we got cozy with blankets and pillows and watched the Survivor finale that we recorded on Sunday.Jack's quote as we watched the finale: "Next time you make Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-57251576717757957322010-12-20T21:34:00.000-08:002010-12-20T21:58:43.781-08:00December Days - 20Today our advent activity was to "Wrap Presents". I've already done a bunch, but it was time for the boys to wrap each other's, and one to Mike. They also needed to wrap a friend's birthday gift (more on that later). While Mike was in NY last week, I hauled the folding table up into our bedroom and made Wrap Central in there. It's the only room with a door, and I needed secrecy (obviously). I Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-86438911211426244412010-12-19T20:25:00.001-08:002010-12-19T20:38:53.450-08:00December Days - 19This morning the boys were excited to see that as day 19, we were going to see the movie "Tangled". I have wanted to see this movie since it came out, and I was determined to fit it in over the holidays. I had heard that this was a movie that really was a "G" rated movie, unlike some of the other supposedly kiddie movies that scare my poor Ethan. Jack's all over them, but Ethan hates movies with Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-37404239346825071902010-12-19T11:46:00.000-08:002010-12-19T11:59:43.033-08:00December Days - 18Today's advent activity was "Christmas Train" but I'm afraid we didn't get to the train today. Mike and Ethan went out for some Christmas shopping while Jack and I wrapped some things and did some crafts. Jack painted my face with a candy cane on one cheek and a snowflake on the other, and I did the same for him. I so wish I had taken photos!Later, Susanna, Jim and Victor came over so they and Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-26309218973851322142010-12-19T11:27:00.000-08:002010-12-19T11:46:00.703-08:00December Days - 17"Take a Jingle Bell Walk". We do this every year: grab our jingle bells and our Santa hats and take a walk around the neighbourhood. There may be some singing involved also, but usually we just walk and jingle. It brings smiles to people's faces and it's a bit of peace amidst the hectic. Mike got back from New York today and it was the last day of school so there were a lot of activities to Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-12746332846654744332010-12-19T10:59:00.000-08:002010-12-19T11:27:20.258-08:00December Days - 16I'm behind again - what a crazy, busy week! Ethan said to me at the end of school on Friday, "Isn't it great? Now we can do NOTHING for the whole of holidays!" And I was still in full panic mode. So I looked at him wild-eyed and barked: "Not. Yet."This time of year is definitely chaotic. I absolutely LOVE seeing everyone, whether it's catching up for coffee, going out for our Christmas lunch at Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-50658979217961836912010-12-17T16:44:00.000-08:002010-12-17T17:09:34.564-08:00December Days - 15"Read the Night Before Christmas" was our day 15. The boys LOVE this story! They know it by heart now, but still love to read it!Also, they have these really annoying bears that recite the whole story. They're the ones here with the open books on their laps.What's annoying is that they like to play them together, except they never sync them properly, and one's voice is dying, so really it's just Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-71888990138580302452010-12-15T21:55:00.001-08:002010-12-15T22:00:34.233-08:00December Days - 14Given the fact that the storm we'd had the night before meant a leaky skylight and a grand total of 2 hours of sleep for me as I laid out buckets, moved the piano, got out the ladder, toweled puddles up, tarped the TV etc. I didn't much care what the Advent Calendar for the 14th said."Christmas Concert". Oh, phew - an easy one. Today was one of the afternoon concerts and since I was at work, my Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-13952160612239381832010-12-15T21:41:00.000-08:002010-12-15T21:55:07.464-08:00December Days - 13"Make Christmas Crafts".This advent was disappointing to the kids. They pointed out that they had done the snowmen as a craft (since we had no snow) and done the tree as a craft (since I got back too late to get a real tree), and did we really have to think of another craft???My kids are not that into crafts, clearly. So when they suggested that the crafts they did in school that day should countTamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-39456429622261242302010-12-15T21:32:00.000-08:002010-12-15T21:41:16.272-08:00December Days - 12Today was also a bit of a fail. The Advent Calendar was to "Get a Christmas tree". Although we've had our two fake ones up for a while (correct that, we have three fake ones up including the one on my nightstand), we have an annual tradition of going to our friend Shannon's parents' place for a Christmas tree. I would LOVE to have a real tree every year, but Mike and Ethan would suffer Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263154483615534110.post-55843266616895306852010-12-15T21:25:00.000-08:002010-12-15T21:32:24.279-08:00December Days - 11ARGH - I'm behind! I will catch us up...December 11 was "Bake cookies". This was a good plan in that I scheduled this for a Saturday. Except - Mike and I ended up going to Seattle, as he was flying out of there for New York early on Sunday morning. We thought we'd do a little Christmas shopping on Saturday, stay near the airport and then I'd come home in time for hockey on Sunday. Great plan but Tamsinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848467207190781175noreply@blogger.com0