Funny Things About My Kids

I've forgotten how much my kids watch what I do, hear what I say when I think they don't and copy what I do. They've said some things lately that I know I've said...and things someone else has said. A funny one about my youngest, Robert. On Monday I'd stopped in at canadian tire after picking up the kids from their mom's. I got what I needed and we went home. The kids played outside while I started working on the car. While I was doing this, Robert decided he wanted to play in the car so he asked me if he could. I figured "why not" so I told him to go ahead...as he was going to open the driver's door I heard him say, "I'm dad." Anyways...away he goes, pretending to go for a ride..talking every so often...then I hear him stop and say, "I'll have a large double- double." On tuesday morning my older boy and my girl were having a conversation about the weather. Tyler said, "The rain is going to be here forever." Alexis replied, "No the rain won't be here forever, but it will be here for a long time." Tyler, "The sun won't shine ever again." Alexis, "Yes the sun will shine again, just not for a long time." As they headed out the door Tyler said, "Someone should talk to God about the rain." They walked to the car without saying anything else, but when they got too the car Alexis said, "Yeah someone should talk to God, but I'm not going to..you can." I had to chuckle at their talk...so cute.

Death of a Friend

I spent a few hours with my brother this evening after work. We had supper and watched tv. During the course of our conversations he mentioned that a very good friend of ours had died on Monday morning after a couragous 2 year battle with cancer. We talked about all the good times we had working with Donnie Mak; some of his nicknames he had were "Mak Daddy" "Big Smak" "The General" He didn't want a funeral, said he didn't want to be a bother to anyone. One of my former co-workers is going to work on arranging a memorial....we never ever thought he was a bother to any of us and alot of people want some way to say good-bye. He was a very good man who will be greatly missed by alot of people. Donnie taught me alot when I first started working security at the casino, I couldn't have asked for a better person to train me. I sit here with a sad heart, yet have nothing but happy memories of Donnie Mak. Good-bye Donnie...I'll really miss seeing you.

A Moment I wish I Could Have Back

I've had a moment this morning that I'm thankful doesn't happen very often. I can blame it on being tired after working for almost 13 hours yesterday. Although there was nothing I wanted more than to sleep in this morning..it didn't happen. I'm not going to blame it on work and being tired, those aren't excuses for my feelings this morning. So anyways we have a daily routine that we follow faithfully for the most part; I get up, get breakfast ready, get kids up, they eat, I give them their clean clothes to put on after they eat, brush teeth, comb hair and away we go for the day. Now my daughter is really hard to wake up in the mornings, has been since school started in September. This morning was no exception, she was the last one up. She came down, ate and got her lunch ready...she is getting to be independent in most things. She usually gets her own lunch ready, picks her own clothes to wear, combs her own hair. So I tell her to change her clothes when she's done eating and I go get clothes for the boys. I combed the boy's hair, sent them to get their boots and sweater and told my girl to do the same thing. I was pretty much ready to go and went to get my shoes on...there's my girl just sitting there, she's ready but still in the same dirty clothes. Well I tell her to change her clothes because we have to get going. She changes, heads to the car and we start to go...I look at her and she has no socks. I stop the car, yell at her to listen when I tell her to do something, and come and get her a pair of socks. I'm sitting here writing feeling bad because of the look she had on the drive to school and when she got out of the car. Gone was the bright little smile she always seems to have, she didn't even say good-bye and wave as she usually does....she just walked away with her head down. I drove away to take the boys to daycare...had a flashback to my childhood...remembered all the times I would leave for school looking just the way my daughter did today, for being yelled at for something by my mom or step-dad. I always said I would never treat my kids the way I was treated as a kid...today I failed. I've had a moment in time I wish I could take back. I've only been a single parent for 18 months...I give a GREAT GREAT BIG hand to all the single parents out there who've done it longer than that!!! Life as a sinlge parent isn't easy...

Roadtrip To Winnipeg

Well people I just got back a few hours ago from a roadtrip to Winnipeg, MB. Actually it was a conference in Steinbach that I went to, but we slept in Winnipeg. Anyways...I've been looking forward to this trip for a few weeks as it's been about 10 years since I was last in Winnipeg. Wow it has changed a lot!! We stayed at a place called "Teen Challenge" which is located in the downtown area. There is alot about downtown that has changed since I was there last...more construction as they expand walkways, the old Eatons building is now the "MTS Place" which is a hockey arena where the Manitoba Moose play. Driving out to the perimeter seemed to take a long time...the city sure has grown!! The conference was held on a person's farm, he has converted his barn into a conference centre. I never thought the inside of a barn could look so beautiful...the whole loft area has wall-to-wall carpet, hardwood panelling all around, 2 ceiling fans with lights, several lights along the wall...just beautiful!! All this without the smell of animals lingering in the air. I admire the owner for putting to good use a building that would otherwise just sit there empty. It also makes me realize how much I miss living in the country...the green grass, trees all around, fresh air, wide open spaces. His place is only a couple of KM"s out of town, which is something I like...far enough out of town to have room to roam, but close enough to whip in to 7-11 or Tim's...LOL. This trip was a great bonding time with 4 of the guys from my church. We had a great time getting to know each other alot better than we do now. We had some free time Saturday evening and went and played pool, then went for supper at Montana's. One of the guys is an American, only been here 2 months, and we had a blast teasing him about different things. He did tell us the restaruant is called, "Montana's not Manitoba's." We tried to get him to wear the Moose hat that they get people to wear on their birthday when they go there, but we couldn't talk him into it....so I did. My friend has a pic he's going to send me of me in the Moose hat. This post seems to be getting long...so I'll write more on this later. Enjoy folks!!

Blown away on a windy day

I had a really interesting experience today. It shocked me, got me a bit upset and really got me thinking that I really am too nice a guy to people. Here's what happened; a friend asked me a couple of weeks ago to help him move, said he would pay me $50. Well I did help him move, myself and 4 others. We didn't get paid that day, at least I didn't and I didn't see him pay the others at that time. He asked me that day if we could meet the following Wednesday (today), so I said sure. I figured as much as I needed the money then, I could wait a few extra days for it. Well the day arrived and he asked me to meet him at McD's at 1 pm. I was helping another friend with some driving so I was trying very hard not to be late, which I wasn't. I guess I can thank him for buying me lunch. Anyways we sat down and ate, made small talk then went and sat outside. If you recall it was very windy today. As we got seated he started talking about his thinking on my help with the move; should he really pay me the $50? Now he knows I'm in a situation where I'm not working very many hours at work right now...so every bit of money helps. Well he decided that my time helping him move was one friend doing another friend a favour and he wasn't going to pay me the $50. I WAS SHOCKED!!! I am surprised the wind didn't knock me off my seat. Needless to say whatever else he said kind of went in 1 ear and out the other. I sort of remember him asking me to help him this summer with some mission teams coming to Regina from Korea and Vancouver. So do I help him out, being the nice guy I am??