first day

see spot start at 7:15 AM at work flipping pancakes
see spot get home after 5 PM
see spot run run run all day long with new class
see spot's kids going to register for high school. one in AM and one in PM
see spot drag the first with her early this morning and swap him at noon for the other son for staggered registration.
see spot's voice begin to fade
see spot's feet begin to throb.
see spot collapse on couch after supper and dishes.

see spot blog.
blog spot blog


heh

wedding

Well we made it through the wedding. It was quite a 'holy crap am I old' moment, to be honest. With the first of the grandchildren getting married, it definitely solidified me as being in  the older generation.

This Sister1's oldest getting married. The service was held outside at Sister2's acreage. We had white chairs, created an aisle with tulle and posts and had an arch at the front for them to stand under. Off to the side at the front was a small table and chairs for signing the documents.

There were four in the wedding party plus the bride and groom, and the doggie ring bearer. They had rented a limo and we all watched it drive up the long driveway and then came around on the prairie grass to park at the back of the 'aisle'. There was a lovely breeze and it all went very smoothly.

They did pictures in my sister's yard - by the pond, in her maze she created, in her backyard and then did a few more at the traditional spots in our community where folks get their pics done.

The hall we had decorated the night before. I got there early with DS2 and helped get the bar set up and set out the tables for food etc. This was not a traditional catered event. We did the food up ourselves. Roasted potatoes, baked ham, roast beef, salads etc. They had fruit and a chocolate fountain, which was new to me.

My niece and her significant other were the MC and I did the grace.

It was the first wedding my boys have been to and it was interesting watching them watch it all. They had no clue of what all happened, or the order, etc.

The saddest part of the evening was the groom/mother of the groom dance. His mom is my sister with MS and while she was able to do some small steps, she couldn't move very well. They stayed in one corner of the dancefloor.

My other two sisters and I were standing at the back and all looked at each other to see we were all crying. We all realized at the same time that when my next nephew gets married, it is very likely his mother won't be able to do that dance again.

My mom got to dance with all of her grandsons and even took her wee 10 day old great grandson out on the floor for a dance. My boys don't know how to dance but they dutifully each did one with their mother and then were dragged out by  my middle two sisters, repeatedly.

It's so weird to see how our little family of mom dad and four daughters has now expanded to include 3 son in laws, one ex son in law (who was there with his someone), 11 grandchildren and 9 grandchildren's significant others.

The party went til 3AM and then we were back at the hall by 11 to set out food for the gift opening and take down the decorations.

Now I'm curled up at the school and the reality that students come tomorrow has hit me. I'm exhausted :-)

post shopping bills

Sorry for the away. It's been crazy. Back to work. New great nephew. Nephew getting married tomorrow.

I promised the scary $ from shopping so here it is rounded up to the nearest dollar

• DS2 needs the uniform that goes with his newly achieved rank of Service Scouter. ($90)
• DS1 needs new hockey pants. about $200  (came to $220 with tax)
• I am picking up something to wear for the wedding this weekend that I could also wear to work. ($120 for long skirt, top and some baubles)
• I need clothes for work ($200)
• Boys' school supplies ($150)
• a couple things each for the boys for school  ($165)
• Costco run (did not happen)
• Walmart run did ($125)
• Lovely lunch out with the boys ($55)

shopping

Today is the big shopping day. The boys and I are off for the city to get everything on our list as we head into back to school.

• DS2 needs the uniform that goes with his newly achieved rank of Service Scouter. No clue what that will cost.
• DS1 needs new hockey pants. about $200
• I am picking up something to wear for the wedding this weekend that I could also wear to work.
• I need clothes for work
• Boys' school supplies
• a couple things each for the boys for school
• Costco run

should be pretty interesting.  Since I get 'extra' money on my Aug check (EI and CPP are done, I think) and since I have $200 left of our summer money, there will be no debt for this. It will go on my Mastercard for the airmiles and then tomorrow or wed I will go to bank and pay it all off.

I will NOT go to a teacher store I will NOT go to a teacher store I will not go to a teacher store *fingers crossed LOL*

End of Garage Sale. End of Weekend. End of Summer

Well our three day garage sale extravagansa is done now (thank god) and I am glad it be all done with that. Thurs was slow. Friday was DEAD. As in 18 ppl in 6 hours. I confess I didn't sleep worth a darn Fri night thinking 'wtf am I going to do with all this big stuff when I have no place to store it??"

We started Saturday at 7:30. It was cold!!! Of course I'd rushed out the doors to get to mom's early to haul stuff out and open the garage door. I forgot my coat. So after it was all ready to go, I sat there all curled up under a fuzzy blanket I stole off her couch, sipping coffee and baileys and enjoying one of mom's buttermilk bran muffins straight out of the oven. mmmmm delicioso.

It was intermittantly busy but I would call the day a success. Someone bought our old couch set and end tables (woo hoo!!!!) and they took the giant solid oak (heavy) entertainment unit that honestly doesn't fit the new flatscreen tvs. The airhockey table ended up going to the girl I grew up next door to. Her boys love it so I am glad it's gone from under DS1's bed where it had been stored. I kept stubbing my toe on the thing!! The universal gym (which we affectionately called the clothes dryer) went at the very end of the day. The lady was unsure and thought she should wait til her husband was home later Sat night and then she'd have a way to get it home. To heck with that!! "I have a husband and two sons and a truck. We can take it right now if you want!!" . she did. wheeeeeee

I was so happy. The china did not sell. It's back in boxes with 2010 newspaper around it instead of 1992 paper lol. I brought home 2 boxes of videos and books to store and everything else is going to a donation depot where they give it /sell it to families in need. I am beyond happy about not having to store it.

The results?

•  well I have  an almost empty recroom while we await the arrival of the sectional, which I can pay for fully :-)
• I have a bit of extra $ to go towards back to school shopping in the city tomorrow with the boys
• I have a semi empty teeny garage. Still too small for  a vehicle but you can walk in it and everything now :-)
• If I had to measure what I got rid of over the summer in the equivalent of big black garbage bags, it would be close to 100.
• My grocery budget is very healthy. Mom fed us all those meals so I can use the money in that to pay for some of the boys' school fees.

It's wicked cool today and very grey outside. DS1 and his father went off to another city to watch Ds's hockey buddy do HIS tryouts for his hockey team.

I am at the school and the pressure is on to get everything hung up and in it's place so the real planning work can begin. I am gone tomorrow to the city so that day is out. Tues I have a haircut and Wed is my once  a year pedicure so time is crazy slipping away. Thurs work begins. Students arrive Monday.

On the bright note, my niece is at the hospital in Calgary having her baby. Thank god for text updates. The last baby born in my family was DS2 and that was 13 years ago so it's been a long time. She won't be able to make it home for my nephew's wedding next weekend, which is too bad. We're a close family and she will be sad not to be there when everyone else is, but 8 hours driving with a new baby is too much for anyone.

ok to work I go. Thanks for listening.