Just 2 more sleeps!

It's hard to believe that it's almost Christmas and that Santa will be here in just 2 more sleeps. I simply can't believe that it's December 23rd already...where does the time go?

This past week has been pretty busy for us. I managed to hurt my neck about a week ago so that sort of slowed me down when I had so many things to get done. I should note that my neck still hurts (I'm a little cranky about it). On this past Sunday Cory, Cameron and I drove to Saskatoon to pick up Jerome and Shirley at the airport. This is their first trip to visit since we moved 21 months ago. They said that Sturgis is pretty much what they expected and they seem to really like our home. We took them to the big metropolis of Yorkton yesterday for a little last minute Christmas shopping and to pick up a few groceries for Christmas dinner.

Cameron is getting VERY excited for Santa to come. We finally put gifts under the tree on the weekend and he's been pretty good to leave them alone. Although there is one gift that came from his cousins in PEI that he seems quite interested in. There is a small piece of wrapping paper that is starting to rip ever so slightly on one corner. Cameron indicated that we should just open it since it was already started! We're hoping to Santa to make an appearance at our home on Christmas Eve to see Cameron before he goes to bed. It was a pretty big hit last year and we're hoping it goes just as well this year. Unlike many kids, Cameron is not at all scared of the jolly guy in the red suit. I'm hoping to get a good video of it to share with our family and friends who will miss the whole experience.

It's snowing in Sturgis today so we're definitely going to have a white Christmas. It's looking like PEI will have a green Christmas this year though. On the upside, it will make for safer and easier travelling for everyone back home. I'm looking forward to seeing Cameron on Christmas morning...last year was pretty good but I think this year will be even better. The only thing he wants from Santa is a real Optimus Prime, so we're hoping Santa gives him what he wants. I'm also looking forward to Christmas dinner...turkey/chicken dinner is always my favorite. We've also invited one of Cory's co-workers over for dinner as his family is still in Ontario so we don't want him to have to spend Christmas alone in his motel room. I'm sure it will be a fun day and I'm getting pretty excited myself!

A surprise phone call from Santa!

This past weekend we were having some issues with Cameron...he was refusing to eat his supper, saying he didn't like it...even though it was one of his favorite things to eat. So we arranged for a phone call from Santa. Cory talked to Santa first and relayed the message to Cameron that if he ate all of his supper that Santa would call him back for chat. I'm not sure I've seen Cameron shovel his food in quite so fast! As promised after Cameron finished eating (most of it anyway) the phone rang and it was Santa. Cameron was so excited and had a wonderful chat with Santa. When Santa asked what he wanted for Christmas he responded with the usual requests that we've been hearing around the house lately...Nannies, toys, a real Optimus Prime. It was pretty cute so I took a few pictures of him of course.

Another lovely winter day in SK

When we got up this morning the temperature was somewhere in the -48 degree range with the windchill. I honestly didn't even bother to check the weather because I knew it was ridiculously cold outside! Although today was probably one of the coldest days we've had this winter, the three of us ventured out to go to Yorkton for the day. We didn't have to go for anything important but we ended up spending an awful lot of money for some reason.

I finally finished my baking last Friday and then I gave it all away. So, now I have to do some more baking so we have some goodies for ourselves. I made up little parcels of treats for all of Cory's co-workers, which hopefully they all enjoyed...and hopefully it all tasted good because I didn't actual taste everything that I made. Cory's parents will be arriving this Sunday so I'll likely bake a few things before the weekend. All of this baking sure is hard work...I wonder if it could be considered exercise?!

Baking, baking and more baking

For the past few days I have been quite busy doing my Christmas baking. My goal is to the majority of my baking completed before the weekend. So far I have made 6 dozen peanut butter cups, 11 dozen ginger cookies, 2 lemon poppy seed cakes, Skor fudge, and a pan of Rice Krispie squares. I currently have a big bowl of peanut butter ball mixture sitting in the fridge. I had planned to roll my balls tonight but I got lazy...so I'll roll them in the morning and dip them in chocolate in the afternoon. Of course, this is just the first batch of peanut butter balls and I believe there will be 2 more batches to follow because they are both mine and Cory's favorite treat. I'm also hoping to make almond bark tomorrow and I "might" attempt peanut brittle...but that didn't do so well last year. I'm also hoping to make sugar cookies in various fun shapes (I bought new cookie cutters this week) and I plan to take them to Cameron's Christmas party at nursery school next week.

Speaking of nursery school, Cameron was bouncing on Wednesday morning when Cory told him he had school. He just loves going to school...it's too bad it's only 2 hours a week. This week they made wreaths, with a little help I think, and Cameron was very proud of his craft. I managed to hide it from him so it has yet to be destroyed. Here's a pic.

Cory went back to the doctor this week and got the OK to go back to regular duties at work and Cory was very happy about this. I think he was getting tired of not being able to much other than sit at a desk all day. He almost seemed excited to get up and get ready for work on Wednesday morning because he actually got to put his uniform on. I found it kind of funny.

What's also funny is that Cory is in need of a hair cut but he never calls in advance and ends up having to wait longer to get into the hairdresser. You'd think he'd learn but he hasn't yet...until today maybe. So, I guess Cory decided he just go to one of the barber's in Canora for a trim. Well, I bought clippers and cut Cameron's hair myself this week and it turned out pretty well...Cory should have let me trim his hair because it would have looked a whole lot better. I mean, it's like a train wreck...I couldn't stop staring when he came home from work today. It's really, really BAD!!! I asked him what happened to his hair and his response was, "I have an appointment next week to get it fixed." He was also not impressed with his "trim". Did I mention how bad it is? Wow! For those of you who know Cory, you know how much he cares about how his hair looks. So, I figured he'd be able to hide the nasty hair cut with a hat but the hat doesn't even hide how bad it is. The "barber" cut Cory's hair WAY too short in the back...wait, I mean shaved it WAY too short in the back. It just looks ridiculous. I guess I should stop now, he may be a little upset if he knows I put this info about his hair on here. Oh dear, hopefully it will grow fast.

Well, it's getting late and I should be getting a little shut eye...after I watch some more TV of course!

Until next time...

December already? Where has the time gone?

I seriously can't believe that we are into the month of December and that Santa is a mere 22 sleeps away. I guess time flies when you're having fun. Our Christmas shopping is basically done and just needs to be wrapped. I don't put the gifts under the tree until Christmas Eve though so I've got lots of time. I do however need to get a move on my baking. Last year I did up tins of goodies for Cory's co-workers and their families and I want to do that again this year. It's a pretty big job but I love doing it. I still have to decide what exactly I'm going to make. Our number one favorite is chocolate covered peanut butter balls...I made 2 double batches last year and I'm sure I'll end up doing the same this year.

Cameron and I put up and decorated the Christmas tree this week. It was quite a big job...good thing I had my little helper. He basically just gave me orders through the majority of the process..."Mommy, I can't see the TV...MOVE." "Mommy, stop making so much noise." "Mommy, are you almost done?" Once I got the tree out of the box and looking like an actual tree and then had all of the lights on, I let Cameron help by passing me the ornaments to hang on the tree. He was passing them one at the time and then two at a time and then he got frustrated because I wasn't putting them on fast enough and I was making him wait. I think I heard him say, "Next!" about 200 times throughout the whole process as he passed me the ornaments. It was fun though and he felt important that he got to "help". I think it was a nice surprise for Cory when he came home that night too. Usually, I get very cranky during the whole tree decorating process and Cory ends up having to do the majority of it.

I did have a few technical issues during the whole ordeal though...although I tested all of the lights before putting them on the tree, I still managed to have two sets of lights that were only half lit when i plug in the lights when I was all done...ugh! I managed to wiggle the cords very carefully and patiently and the lights all starting working! However, then I discovered that I had missed putting lights on two whole branches, not side-by-side but they were still quite noticeable. So, then I had to figure out what to do because I had used all of the lights and couldn't just run out to Walmart for more. So I figured I'd just carefully place the ornaments and hopefully no one would notice my screw up. When I went back downstairs to get the ornaments I also found 3 more sets of lights so I no longer had to worry about my unfortunate mistake...crisis averted. Anyhow, I think the tree looks great!

Cameron had nursery school on Wednesday morning and he was SUPER excited to go. I was equally as excited to have 2 whole hours at home to myself. I layed on the couch and got caught up on One Tree Hill while Cameron was at school. Cameron had a great time at school as always. He was very proud of his craft project that he made this week, here's a picture of it:

That sums up most of what's been happening this week.

Until next time...

And the fun continues

Cory is feeling much better but he's still not 100%. He started back to work this past Thursday on night shifts. I just prayed he wouldn't have any encounters with any "clients" that may require him to use any force. Thursday night went off without a hitch but Friday night was another story...of course they had to deal with a "client" who was not co-operative and therefore some use of force was required. In the process of dealing with this lovely individual, Cory managed to aggravate his injuries. So, off to the hospital we went this morning...it was nothing too serious but it definitely require a visit with the doctor. After 2.5 hours at the hospital and more x-rays, the doctor determined Cory needs physio for his neck, chest and knee. He also gave him something to help with the muscle damage that was caused due to the accident. Plus, the doctor advised Cory should only be doing light duties at work for the next 10 days and then see how physio is going. I think Cory is disappointed because he won't be able to do much at work for another little while but he needs to get better.

This week wasn't too exciting. Cameron was a happy little boy all week which made our week great though. Cameron was super excited about going to nursery school on Wednesday. He made a craft that barely survived the day but he was very proud of it. He also told us they sang "Jingle Bells" and he sang a little for us...it seems to be his new favorite song now. I was pretty disappointed that only about half our TV shows were on this week, thanks to the American Thanksgiving. However, we did manage to fill up our evenings with other shows. We also made a purchase this week which helped keep us busy...Super Mario Bros for the Wii and it is AWESOME! The game is very similar to the original Super Mario Bros but way more fun. We've put in many hours playing the game over the past few days...even though Cameron hasn't advanced to playing Wii games, he does seem to enjoy watching us play this particular game.

Cameron has been pretty entertaining lately...as usual. The things he says on a daily basis seriously crack us up. I should really write some of his comments down so that I can share them with everyone...he's just so funny sometimes. This evening he sat down with Cory in the living room and told him a story which started something like this..."Once upon a time, there was a big, scary, green monster..." The story went on for a good 5 minutes and there was lots of arm movement and strange noises throughout. Cory and I were all but rolling on the floor laughing and Cameron was happy as good be. A while back, we had started a bedtime routine with reading books to Cameron...now, Cameron likes to read to us. However, Cameron reading to us basically consists of him looking at the pictures and occasionally he tells us what/who is in the pictures. He will not let me read to him...kind of strange but whatever, he's happy. A couple of days ago, Cameron decided he was going to play the guitar (the one we have for Guitar Hero for the Wii)...he informed us it was "time to dance and rock out"!

Well, I guess that's all I have for now. Cory only went to work for a couple of hours this evening so I thought we'd watch a movie but it seems that we're watching some Chris Rock show on the Comedy network...well, Cory's watching it. Maybe I'll just read my book

Until next time...

On the mend

It's been almost a week since Cory's accident and he's doing great. He's still sore but he's definitely doing well. His knee and his chest are still giving him some trouble but he's well on his way to a full recovery. I'll say it again, he's very lucky to only have suffered minor injuries.

This past weekend was pretty uneventful for the most part, primarily because Cory needed to rest. Friday night we stayed in and watched TV, which isn't any different from any other Friday night in Sturgis. Saturday I did a lot of house work...laundry, scrubbed all 3 bathrooms, vacuuming, etc. Saturday evening we went to Curtis and Kristi's for some drinks and munchies. We didn't leave until later in the evening because we were taking Cameron with us and we wanted him to fall asleep on the drive to Canora. It was nice to get out of the house and spend some time with friends. Sunday Cory somehow found the energy to prepare a very yummy meal for ourselves and Pernell and Chantel. He made baked beans, biscuits, roasted potatoes and BBQ ribs. It was awesome but none of us could finish our meal. We also watched the Roughriders game, which was the first time Cory and I actually watched almost an entire football game. Apparently we're in Rider country now though and it's hard to believe we've been here this long and haven't watched a game. Pernell and Chantel also brought Cameron a new Riders shirt...it's a little big so he'll be wearing for years to come.

So, the we had a pretty good weekend after a pretty long and stressful week. I'm confident that this will be a better week though. I think we'll head into Yorkton tomorrow for a little shopping...we always seem to need something. Cameron has nursery school on Wednesday and I really hope nothing interferes with that because he'd be awfully disappointed. Cory will be going back to work Thursday night so hopefully he'll be feeling even better by then.

Until next time...

Wow! What a week!

Our week started out pretty quiet but by Tuesday night things were definitely not so quiet anymore. Cory was working a day shift but called at suppertime to tell me he would be late for reasons I can't put in this blog. I wasn't expecting him home until after midnight at the earliest but I got a call from Tyler, his partner, just before midnight asking if Cory got home yet. Cory wasn't home and he wasn't answering his cell phone. I didn't panic and just assumed he was either busy with something or wasn't getting cell reception. At about 12:30am I decided I would go to bed. I had just crawled into bed when there was a knock on our door. At first I thought it must have been Cory and he couldn't get in for some reason but it was actually Tania, one of Cory's co-workers. I thought it was strange to see Tania on my doorstep at 12:40am but I still wasn't panicking. However, once I opened the door and saw the look on her face the panic did start to set in.

Tania was here to tell me that Cory had been in an accident that he was at the hospital in Canora. My heart immediately starting racing like crazy but I remained calm. She told me all she knew was that he was doing okay and that she was there to take me to the hospital. So I got myself and Cameron ready, poor Cameron had been sleeping for hours, and then we headed to Canora. On the way to Canora we saw the flashing lights of a police car on the side of the road just before we got to Canora. We slowed down as we drove by and could see Cory's police car upside down in the ditch. I'll admit that once I saw the car I was a little more panicked but I still remained calm.

When we arrived at the hospital, Tania went in first to check things out and to tell Cory that we were there. Cory was quite a sight when I walked into the room...he was still on the backboard and had on the neck brace and was pretty much covered in blood. He was talking and doing pretty well but he was in a great deal of pain. The took a bunch of x-rays and everything looked fine but he was having a lot of neck pain so he was going to need a CAT scan because the x-ray wouldn't show anything with the neck brace on and the it couldn't come off when the didn't know whether he had a neck injury or not. To make a long story short, he ended up being taken to Yorkton by ambulance for a CAT scan at 3am.

Tania, Cameron and I followed the ambulance to Yorkton and did some more waiting while they did the scans and then read the results. By around 5:30am we finally got the results that everything was fine and they finally took off the neck brace and got Cory cleaned up a little more. He has many bumps, bruises, cuts and scrapes. The worst cut is actually on the side of his head where it basically looks like it was shaved. He was very upset when he finally got home and saw he had a huge bald spot. Cory was then taken back to the Canora hospital where he would stay a little while longer for observation. Tania took Cameron and I home and we finally got back to Sturgis shortly after 7am.

I was so grateful to have Tania here to help me. She was such a huge help with keeping me calm and with watching Cameron. She pushed him around the Canora hospital in a wheelchair and then Cameron pushed Tania around in a wheelchair. She walked with him at the Yorkton hospital and helped to keep him occupied. Cameron was trooper through the whole thing and I couldn't believe he stayed awake with us all night. He did fall asleep as soon as we left Yorkton when we were headed for home though.

I found out what actually happened throughout the evening. Cory was on his way home after working a 15 hour day. He had just passed a car and was moving back into the right lane when a buck ran out in front of him. To make a long story short, when he swerved to miss the deer he eventually ended up rolling the police car. Ross, his corporal, was also on his way home and was only about 2 minutes behind Cory so he was on scene very quickly and called 911 to get the ambulance there. Cory had managed to unbuckle his seat belt and crawl out the driver's side window by himself.

I went to pick Cory up from the Canora hospital at noon on Wednesday. He was moving very slowly and in a great deal of pain. His chest/sternum is very, very sore and he has a lot of places that are very tender where he was cut and chunks of skin came out. Thursday afternoon he wanted to get out of the house. He wanted to find out where all of his stuff was that was in the car and he also wanted to go to see his car that was taken to Yorkton. All of his stuff was thrown from the car and the only that remains missing is a set of handcuffs, but they can certainly be replaced. Everyone kept saying they were amazed that he got out and walked away from the car and we knew what they were talking about when we saw the car. We took lots of pictures but I'm not going to post them. If anyone wants to see them, I can email them though. The car is completely destroyed. Cory didn't remember the air bag deploying but we saw that it did.

So, is off work until the end of next week. Hopefully, he'll be feeling much better by then and be able to get back at it. He was actually upset that he had to miss work for the rest of this week...that's how much he loves his job. Of course, I'd rather be at work than sitting at home in pain. Today he was pretty tired and sore, most likely because he over-did it yesterday with his outing, so he's stayed pretty close to the couch all day.

Cory is definitely lucky to have walked away with very minor injuries. His seat belt most likely saved his life. I am so grateful that he is okay and I hope I never have to go through anything like this again...it was very scary. He's going to be fine but it will take some time for him to get back normal...or well, as normal as he can be!

Until next time...

Slacking

When I started this blog, I had full intentions to write at least a few times a week to keep everyone updated on the happenings in our lives, etc. However, it seems that has proven to be somewhat difficult for me. I'm really not sure why...it must have something to do with my super busy schedule and life. Ha ha, yeah right! Maybe I'll just use the excuse that there hasn't really been as much happening as I had hoped for...yes, that's what I'm going to go with!

Cory had this past weekend off so it was family time for the three of us. Friday we headed into Yorkton for groceries and some other shopping of course. We did manage to get in and out of Walmart without a new toy for Cameron but no without a new movie. I'm pretty sure the movie purchase was just as much for Cory as it was for Cameron though. Although, I will say Cameron spotted the movies, grabbed in off the shelve and put it in the cart. The movie was "Up" and it's actually not a bad movie, as we watched it as a family on Friday evening. I also got the movie "The Ugly Truth" and Cory and I finally watched it last night. I must say that we quite enjoyed it. I laughed so hard I almost cried a few times...definitely a good movie. I'm still not sure about all the hype over Gerard Butler though...oh well.

Saturday consisted of organizing, cleaning and decorating. Cory changed all of the burnt out bulbs on our outdoor Christmas lights, which were hung about 2 weeks ago. We finally got a new DVD storage unit so I rearranged the office and organized all of our movies...pretty soon we'll have enough open our own movie rental store I'm sure. I'm still sticking with the excuse that movies are generally our only source of entertainment in Sturgis and that's why we have so many! We also put out our Christmas decorations throughout the house including Cameron's little Christmas tree. We'll hold off putting up our big tree for another couple of weeks though. The house looks very festive now and Cameron is loving it!

Sunday was a pretty lazy day in the Dowling household. I have to confess that I actually didn't get out of bed until almost 1pm...and I honestly can't remember the last time I stayed in bed so late. I was tired though after a whole week of very late nights and thankfully, Cory let me sleep in. Of course, I had many visits from Cameron throughout the morning for various reasons. Overall, I think we had a pretty productive and decent weekend.

This morning Cameron kept asking to go to school...he's been asking for over a week and there was no school last week due to Remembrance Day. I finally asked him why he wanted to go to school and his response was, "to see the kids" and then I started crying. He just breaks my heart sometimes. We feel so bad that he really doesn't have any friends here to play with. Although, Cory and I try to play with him and keep him occupied, we obviously just aren't the same as playing with other kids. There are kids in the town that are his age but it seems difficult to become friendly with the other mothers when you're the cop's wife. They assume I know their business and generally if there is anything to be known, they would be right. It makes things a little tricky. So today, Cameron and I were crafty and made Chistmas trees and a Santa's hat...then he was bored and went to play with his Transformers.

Until next time...

Carrot Cake

Thanks to a lovely couple back home in PEI, I have had an undeniable desire for carrot cake for the longest time. I did have a little taste of some carrot cake when I was on vacation in PEI during a visit with some wonderful ladies that I used to work with. I thought this would satisfy my craving but unfortunately it did. So after a search for a carrot cake in multiple stores, I came to the conclusion that I was going to have to make one from scratch.

Yesterday we went to Yorkton for groceries so I made sure I had all of the necessary ingredients to make my very first carrot cake. My mom gave me a recipe for a carrot cake that we know is very tasty and I set out to make this scrumptious cake yesterday evening...with the help of my little assistant of course. I'm always nervous when I make something for the first time because I worry about how it will turn out. The cake took a little longer to cook than the recipe said but that's no big deal as every oven is a little different.

During the cooking process, I had taken my butter and cream cheese out of the fridge so that they'd soften in preparation for the making of the icing. After the cake had been cooling for a bit I decided I would make the icing and have it ready when it was time to ice the cake. After fighting with the icing for what seemed like forever, I came to the conclusion that it is much simpler to buy Betty Crocker icing at the store! The icing tasted fine but was not the proper consistency and my chef turned cop husband was at work and unable to provide me with assistance. I decided to put the icing in the fridge because it was a little...runny. By 12:30am I didn't want to wait any longer to try a piece of my cake so I iced the damn thing even though the icing was still not the proper consistency.

So, after weeks of wanting some carrot cake I finally had a big piece for a bedtime snack! The cake turned out just fair in my opinion but of course I ate it anyway. This morning Cory took a peek at my cake in the fridge and the first thing he said was, "All of your icing ran off your cake." Ugh! So then I had to explain the whole icing fiasco to him and he concluded that I was just being impatient and I should have waited to ice the cake today. Whatever!

P.S. I had another big piece for breakfast this morning...it's still just fair. LOL!

And the weekend has arrived

Another week is coming to an end, not that the weekend really means much to me anymore. The weekends for me are just when Cory is on days off and he's actually working nights this weekend. So, basically this weekend will involve a whole lot of nothing or well, snacks and TV I suppose.

This week was pretty uneventful for all. We went to Regina for the day this past Monday to do some Christmas shopping. We didn't actually decide whether we were going to go to Saskatoon or Regina until about 10 minutes before we got in the truck to leave. We had lunch at Chili's, which was yummy and then commenced our shopping. We went to Toys R Us first where we spent a good hour in the store deciding what would be good for Cameron for Christmas. When we finally decided, Cameron and I waited in the truck while Cory went back in to make the purchases. We also made a quick stop at Michael's and Walmart before moving on to Costco. I set a budget for what we could spend at Costco and we managed to get through the check-out with $4 to spare! That pretty much sums up our day in Regina and then we headed for Sturgis. As soon as we were outside of the city, Cameron informed us he was hungry so we stopped at A&W in Fort Qu'Appelle and got some supper for the road trip home.

Tuesday was pretty much a lazy day at home for the three of us. I did some laundry and Cory put up the Christmas lights on the house. He decided he would get it done before the weather is like -40. We were all pretty tired from our busy day in Regina so it was nice to just stay home and relax.

Cameron had nursery school on Wednesday and he enjoyed it very much. They made balloon people and I was smart enough to remember to take a picture of it as soon as we got home before it got destroyed. I was right to do this because the balloon didn't make it through the whole afternoon. He was also pretty excited about the cupcake he took home from nursery school and he gobbled it down with no trouble. On the way home from nursery school we made a detour and took Cameron to Preeceville for his H1N1 shot. He was a trooper and only said, "Ow" in a slight whisper when he was poked with the needle. We were also fortunate to not have to wait and we were in and out in less than 20 minutes total. Today I went for a short walk to get the mail...it's actually a pretty nice day here today. I also made a yummy pizza dip for lunch and then Cameron and I baked some brownies. I've been craving carrot cake and had planned to make a trip to the Co-Op today for a few ingredients but we decided we'll go to Yorkton tomorrow so I'll wait and do my carrot cake shopping there. That pretty much sums up our week so far. It will soon be time for me to start supper...spaghetti with meat sauce. Cory works tonight and I think I might watch a chick flick this evening because Friday night TV sucks.

Until next time...

Happy Halloween

I guess I've kind of been slacking off lately. I certainly haven't done a very good job of updating my blog. In my defense, I have been pretty sick for the past week but I am slowly getting better.

Cameron and I made it back to SK safe and sound just over a week ago. Cameron was an excellent traveller and didn't cause any problems the whole trip home. I had many people, flight attendants and other passengers, comment on what a good boy he was. He actually slept the majority of the way from Toronto to Saskatoon which allowed me to watch a movie on the flight. I had just finished reading "My Sister's Keeper" so I decided I might as well watch the movie. I had been told that the book was much better than the movie and I absolutely agree. We arrived on time in Saskatoon and Cory was very happy to see us. It turns out he had been at the airport for almost 2 hours prior to our arrival...I guess it's safe to say he has the "I can hardly wait's!" We didn't have to wait long for our luggage and we were on our way. We made a trip through the Wendy's drive-thru and stopped for gas and then headed for Sturgis. It was a very long day and I was very tired when we finally got home. Cameron actually fell asleep on the drive home so I just changed him into pj's and put him into bed.

The night after we got back to SK, we went to an 80's party at Tyler and Sarah's. Cameron came too but he was asleep before we got there and slept in Tyler and Sarah's bed throughout the whole party. Everyone was amazed that he could sleep through all of the noise but he's a trooper. The party was lots of fun and everyone's 80's outfits were awesome. We stayed out way too late though and I was super tired on Sunday but we had to go to Yorkton for groceries. By Sunday night, Cory had a full blown cold and by Monday night, I had the very same thing. So, we've had a pretty yucky with with lots of coughing, sneezing and blowing of the nose. Cameron seems to have only gotten a very mild cold compared to what we were dealt. We're all on the mend now though and I'm hoping to be all better by Monday...*fingers crossed*.

The day before I was to leave PEI, I went and got my nose pierced. Turns out it wasn't the best timing since I ended up with such a nasty cold only a few days later. However, I am very pleased with my new jewellery! I didn't tell anyone I was going to get it done and just waited for everyone to notice. Mom was the first to see it and I was surprised by the fact that she actually seemed to like it...at least a little bit. Cory noticed it as soon as he saw me in the airport and he said he likes it too.

Cameron went to nursery school this week for the first time in about a month. He missed 3 weeks because we were gone away. He was excited to go but wasn't too keen on putting on his Halloween costume when we arrived...even though it was a Halloween party and everyone else was dressed up. He finally agreed and he was dressed as a mountie, or Daddy according to Cameron, for the party. He had a great time at the party and came home with lots of treats. He was so funny when we got home though...as soon as we came through the door he looked up at me and said, "I don't want to be Daddy anymore, I want to be Cameron again." This was his request to remove the mountie outfit...so funny.

Otherwise, we've had a pretty uneventful week because we haven't been feeling great. Last night Cory carved two pumpkins for Cameron. He made the mistake of letting Cameron pick out the designs and ended having to carve the two most difficult patterns from the book that he had bought. I laughed and watched as he took almost two hours to complete the carving. The pumpkins turned out awesome though and Cameron was super happy! Trick-or-treating begin when Cory gets home from work this evening. Cameron is going as a dragon and we're hoping he'll be a little more willing to go out than he was last year. Last year it took us over an hour to convince him to put on his costume and go trick-or-treating. I'm thinking tonight will go a little more smoothly because he now seems to understand the whole concept much better. He also told me, "this is the best Halloween ever!" He seriously cracks me up!

I actually just got all of the Halloween treats set out for the trick-or-treaters. Apparently, trick-or-treating is set to begin at 2pm here in Sturgis and go until dark. Why you ask? The answer is simple, the people in this small town we live in are a little strange at times. It's no big deal though as I'll be here all day doing pretty much nothing. Last year we only had about 8 trick-or-treaters and then we had to eat all the treats ourselves which was very rough, ugh. Cory just called and has suggested we make a trip down to Canora when he gets off work. It seems Cory and Tyler came up with an idea, amazing as that sounds, and they will take Cameron trick-or-treating and I can visit with Sarah while she passes out treats. I guess we'll see what the afternoon brings and I'll decide what we will do for the evening.

I suppose that pretty much covers the happenings in our lives lately.

Until next time...

Going back to SK today

Well, our vacation on PEI is coming to an end today. Cameron and I are leaving to fly back to SK this afternoon. I'm hoping Cameron will be co-operative on our travels because I know it's going to be a long day. We only have one connection in Toronto with an hour wait, so hopefully all of our flights will be on time.

We've kept pretty busy since Cory went back to SK last week. I had a great visit with the girls I used to work with last Friday night. Saturday I spent the day with Mom, Mae and Stephanie and we went to Moncton to do some shopping and to look at wedding dresses for Stephanie. We finished off our day with supper at The Keg before heading back to PEI. On Sunday the four of us were together again and we went to the bridal show in Summerside. Monday was another busy day...shopping for 80's costumes and looking at more wedding dresses. We also picked out the bridesmaid dresses for Stephanie's wedding and I love it. The rest of week was pretty uneventful but Cameron and I filled the time up pretty easily while everyone else was working.

Although, I'm going to miss everyone, I am looking forward to getting home to SK. It will be nice to sleep in my own bed and get back into a regular routine. I think I actually need a vacation from my vacation. I guess some quiet time in Sturgis will have to do though. However, this weekend won't be too quiet. We arrive in Saskatoon at 5:30pm SK time today and then have a 3 hour drive ahead of us to get home. Tomorrow will most likely consist of unpacking and getting everything put away. Tomorrow night we're going to an 80's party at Tyler and Sarah's...as long as Cameron co-operates. Sunday might involve a quick trip into Yorkton for groceries and then hopefully I'll get to do some relaxing.

I think Cameron will be happy to get home to his own bed and all of his own toys. Although, he's told me many times he's not going on an airplane and that he's just staying here! This is after days of him telling me his misses his daddy and that he wants to go home. The poor little turkey doesn't know what he wants. He also won't let me help him do anything, only Nannie can help him...he'll have to get over that very soon though.

I have a few hours left before we have to go to the airport and we're pretty much packed. I had to borrow an extra bag to get everything packed though. Even though our suitcases weren't full when we arrived, we managed to accumulate more stuff than they can hold. I should add that the majority of the extra stuff is for Cameron. I suppose it is time I got off my butt and finished getting things ready for our departure.

Until next time...

Still on vacation!

Wow, where should I start? Cory, Cameron and I started our vacation on Wednesday, October 7th. We left for Saskatoon as soon as Cory got home from work and spent the night because our flight was leaving at 7:30am on October 8th. Cory and Cameron had a good nights sleep at the hotel but I certainly didn't. I had a couple of hours of sleep and then I lay awake waiting for the alarm to go off...I had this paranoia about sleeping in and missing our flight. We managed to get to the airport with lots of time to spare but Cameron kept telling us he just wanted to go home...I figured we were going to be in for a very long day.

We had no problems with our flights, they were all on time and Cameron was pretty co-operative all day. We only had to make one connection in Montreal and we had a very short wait, which was great! We arrived in Charlottetown just after 5pm and it felt so good to see family and be back in PEI. My parents picked us up and then we went to Cory's parent's home for supper and to stay our first couple of nights.

Friday morning I had a very important appointment...I got my hair dyed and cut and it felt so good to get it done. The grey hair was getting a little out of control to put it mildly! Friday evening we had a surprise 60th birthday party for Jerome, Cory's dad. The party was a great time and we got to see lots of family and a few friends. It was a late night though so we were dragging our butts Saturday morning when we had to get up at 7am. Cory and Cameron got haircuts and I got my hair curled. Shirley, Cory's mom, then took Cameron as she was keeping him for the day and night. My parents picked us up and the four of us made the trek to Halifax for Lori and Wayne's wedding.

We left Charlottetown at 10am and arrived at the Prince George Hotel at 1:20pm. The wedding ceremony was at 2pm and we still all had to get changed. We all managed to be ready by 1:45pm though. The wedding was beautiful and we had a great time. The food at the reception was plentiful and amazing. The music was great and there was lots of dancing. We were also invited to a brunch on Sunday morning which was also amazing and it was great to see Lori and Wayne again before we had to go back to PEI.

We arrived in Savage Harbour, PEI at about 4:30pm just in time for Thanksgiving dinner with Cory's family. We were all pretty stuffed from all the eating we did in Halifax but we all managed to force down a plate of dinner. We were all pretty tired too so we didn't stay too late as our beds were calling our names.

On Monday we took Cameron and got some great fall pictures. It was pretty cold outside but we managed to find some sheltered spots where it didn't feel as cold. We then went to Nine Mile Creek to visit my aunt and uncle and to have lunch...Thanksgiving leftovers. We had a great visit and Cameron managed not to destroy their not so childproof house, but he did manage to scratch their kitchen table which I felt absolutely terrible about.

Tuesday was Cory's last day in PEI. We had breakfast with Bobbi Jo and supper with Darcy, Jill, Kent, Billi Jo and Tara...notice the trend of eating all the time! Breakfast was super yummy. Supper was fair and the service was horrible. The company for both was awesome. Cory left to go back to SK on Wednesday afternoon...I think Cameron wanted to go home too. I cooked supper for my parents and Cory's parents Wednesday night and then just waited to hear from Cory when he got home.

So far, our vacation has been great. I have a busy weekend ahead of me and I'll fill you in on all the details later. Cameron has informed me he is hungry and I'm getting pretty hungry myself so I best go find something for lunch.

Until next time...

10 Things I'm looking forward to over the next couple of weeks.

1. Seeing my family and friends
2. Going to Lori & Wayne's wedding in Halifax
3. Jerome's surprise 60th birthday party
4. Getting my hair dyed and cut by my regular hair dresser.
5. Spending a girls day with Mom, Mae & Stephanie
6. Being able to just go shopping, etc. without driving an hour or longer
7. Eating at The Pilot House
8. Going to a movie at a real movie theatre
9. Thanksgiving dinner
10. Flying instead of driving across the country

Procrastinating

Well, it's Tuesday morning. We leave for Saskatoon Wednesday afternoon and then fly out on Thursday morning. I still have basically nothing ready for this trip! I do have most of Cameron's stuff packed but lets face it, that was the easy part. I don't even have a clue what I'm going to pack for clothes for myself. I pretty much just rotate my comfy clothes when I'm at home but they aren't clothes I wear out of the house. I'm also worried that my jeans just aren't going to fit like they did months ago. Why do clothes always seem to shrink while they are simply just hanging in the closet? I'll never understand that...hmph!

I also have this thing about the house having to be nice and clean before I go away. So, while I haven't been packing, I have been making progress in getting the house cleaned. Yesterday I vacuumed the whole house (although, I will likely have to do it again), did some laundry and scrubbed the bathrooms. Today I plan to wash our bedding and remake the beds and I really should clean out the fridge...we don't want any science projects growing in there while we're away.

Tuesday's a pretty busy night for TV, now that I'm thinking about it. I really do need to get a lot accomplished today while Cory's at work. Usually, I just sit on my butt most of the day and then an hour before Cory will be home I run around the house like a crazy woman making the beds, picking up toys, starting supper, etc. I'm sure he knows I do this but I'll never actually admit it to him. I did luck out for tomorrow though, nursery school got postponed until Friday this week because the teacher has the flu. I was supposed to be the parent helper this week but now I can't. Although, I'm happy it frees up my morning tomorrow, I was looking forward to making cupcakes with the kiddies. Oh well!

Okay, so I'm really going to try to get some stuff done now and Cameron is requesting something to eat. I swear this boy eats constantly. He's always hungry...or so he says. He just snacks all day most days, it's nuts. Okay, I'm going now!

Until next time...

So much to do, so little time

The weekend is coming to an end and I really didn't get a whole lot accomplished. Oops! I was very lazy for most of the day but I finally managed to find some motivation late in the afternoon. I started my list of things to pack for our trip and I actually packed Cameron's stuff. Cory goes back to work tomorrow so I'm sure I'll be much more productive. I'm going to try to get as much done tomorrow as I possibly can. Of course, I'm sure I'll still be running around the house doing things right before we leave on Wednesday afternoon.

Cameron was somewhat entertaining today. Among other things he informed me he was the king, I was the princess and Daddy was the dragon...very interesting. He still has a cold but he's been in very good spirits today. He was singing and dancing up a storm this morning and it was a riot while using the cover and straw from his Wendy's cup from yesterday...the cover was his hat and the straw was his cane I guess. He's got a great imagination.

I am patiently waiting for supper to be ready. Cory made a chicken pot pie which smells so amazing and Cory's never actually made me chicken pot pie before. I can't wait to eat, it's going to be so yummy. We're also watching Blades of Glory which we've never seen before and it's pretty funny...dumb but funny!

Until next time...

Matthew McConaughey and Ryan Reynolds in one night

Today was pretty uneventful for the most part. Cory went into work yet again on his day off. He's still trying to get all of his work caught up before we leave for PEI on Thursday. Hopefully, he won't be too busy at work before we go. When Cory returned, he suggested we once again go into Yorkton. I was on the search for something to wear to the very important wedding we are going to in NS and I didn't have much luck yesterday. Of course, Cory really had an ulterior motive for this mini road trip...he wanted to go look at new cell phones as he felt it was time for an upgrade...ugh! So, now we have a new camera and a new cell phone...we definitely won't be getting each other anything for Christmas this year. Oh yeah, I did finally find a new shirt to wear to the wedding and it was on sale...bonus!

Cameron was a little upset when we arrived at the "mall" in Yorkton because he wanted to go the "blue Walmart". He was actually holding onto the door handle thinking that would keep us from opening his door and taking him out of the truck. We told him we'd go to Walmart when we finished at the mall...I bought him a bad of chips at Shoppers though and he forgot all about Walmart. However, he didn't forget the other most important part of going to Yorkton...when we asked him what he wanted to eat for supper his response was non other than, "a cheeseburger and fries and chicken". He wanted McDonald's but we convinced him he could get the same menu items at Wendy's.

I am still fighting off a yucky cold but Cameron has been as lucky. He's definitely got a cold, the poor little guy. He hasn't been too cranky about it, which is a good thing. I rubbed Vicks on his chest and back at bedtime tonight so I'm hoping that might help him get a good nights sleep tonight. Hopefully, this nasty cold won't last long and he'll be on the mend in a few days.

After Cameron was settled and sound asleep, which didn't take long at all, Cory and I watched Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. It was a pretty good movie but how could it not be with Matthew McConaughey in it. I'm also a fan of Jennifer Garner, she just might be one of my favorite actresses. Now we're watching SNL which just so happens to be hosted by Ryan Reynolds...love him! It really is getting late though and it's past my bedtime. Every day I say I'm going to start getting things organized for our trip and I still haven't accomplished anything...maybe I'll get something done tomorrow. I'm also hoping this pimple that is forming in the most ridiculous spot on my nose will magically disappear by tomorrow morning!

Until next time...

6 more sleeps...Wow!

I seriously can't believe how the time had passed. It seems like we were just in PEI and we're getting ready for our next visit next week. I still don't have anything ready for our trip though. Although, I finally tried all of Cameron's pants on him so I now know what fits him which will help when it comes time to packing. I can't believe how much this kid has grown...he's in size 4 pants already and they don't even have to be rolled up...it's nuts! I also tried his snowsuit on him...the jacket still fits not too bad but the snowpants are way too short. A friend gave us 2 big bags of clothes for Cameron and I have yet to go through them but I just might try to do that this weekend to see what is actually in the bags. There could be some great stuff that Cameron could wear now.

Yesterday was a bit of a rotten day. Cameron was kind of a devil. I honestly think it had everything to do with the fact that Cory worked 18 days straight. Cameron definitely acts out and gets a little more cranky when Cory isn't around as much. He was just cranky yesterday and threw a few temper tantrums that I really could have done without. We survived the day though and he did throw in some amusement throughout the day as well. I decided to play with our new camera and try out some of the different settings and Cameron was pretty co-operative with the picture taking. He was even so kind as to style his hair with the soup from his Mr. Noodles and gave him self a facial with the cheese from his cheese & breadsticks! I actually got a great picture of him though and you can't really tell that the boy was filthy dirty. After I got him cleaned up, I took a few more pictures but then he yelled at me to stop taking his picture. He must have felt like the paparazzi was invading his privacy or something. Another funny thing that happened yesterday was that Cameron accidentally dropped an entire double roll of toilet paper into the toilet! There wasn't even one square off the roll yet and I had to chuck it in the garbage. I was a little annoyed but it was an accident and he was very apologetic. What a boy!

Cory was off at 9pm last night so I let Cameron stay up late again but when Cory wasn't home at 9:30pm I decided to put Cameron to bed. It was a good thing that I did too because when Cory got home he had Tanya (the member who just transferred here) and Curtis with him. He had invited them over for coffee. It was nice to get to meet Tanya as I hadn't yet. She seems like a very nice person and I'm sure we'll get to know her better over the next little while. Of course by having visitors last night I didn't get to watch my Thursday night shows. However, I was recording them for Cory anyway so we'll just watch them later.

Well, I suppose I should get off my butt and get ready to start my day...seeing as it is after 10am. We may go into Yorkton today because we need to get a few things for our trip that aren't really available in this wonderful town that we live it.

Until next time...

My poor little finger

It's Wednesday, which means Cameron went to nursery school this morning. He was very excited to go and I was excited to enjoy 2 hours of quiet time at home. Cory was home this morning as he is still on night shifts but he actually slept until it was time for me to go pick Cameron up. Cameron made a caterpillar at school today, which he was very proud of. I also learned that they are making cupcakes at nursery school next week, which is great because I'm the parent helper next week. I love cupcakes!

Cameron also slept until 8am this morning which was awesome. I'm sure it was because I didn't put him to bed until 10pm last night. He was being good so I let him stay up. He sat on the couch with me last night and asked me to do the teddy bear in the garden (you know, 'round and 'round the garden, I lost my teddy bear...). So we did that multiple times and then moved onto This Little Piggy for a while. Then I was just running my fingers through his hair and it really needs to be cut. Cameron then requested I comb his hair so I got the comb and he then sat on my knee while I combed his hair for 45 minutes. At one point I was sure he was going to fall asleep. So, I'm thinking maybe I should take the comb on the airplane next week in case he needs to be relaxed.

Speaking of next week, we've now only got 8 more sleeps until we're in PEI. This time next week, we'll actually be en route to Saskatoon. Our flight leaves out of Saskatoon next Thursday morning at 7:30am so we're staying in Saskatoon the night before so that we'll hopefully get some sleep. I've been trying to think of things I can take for Cameron on the airplane to try to keep him occupied. I've thought of many things but I'm just worried that he won't be interested in anything I bring. I'm thinking it might be a very long trip to PEI.

I was very excited for supper this evening because I was making meatballs. Everything was going great during my whole supper cooking process until I was doing the dishes and I managed to slice my little finger with a knife when I put my hand in sink. UGH! It's not a bad cut, just more like a really nasty paper cut. Every time I think about how I cut my finger, I shiver and feel nauseous. It was just such a yucky feeling, blech! Anyway, Cory put a band-aid on my boo boo and I'm fine now...although, it is wreaking some havoc on my typing skills.

Well, I really don't have much news today. I suppose I'll finish cleaning up our supper dishes and settle in to watch my Wednesday night TV...Bones, Glee, CSI: NY, and Mercy. What would I ever do without my TV shows...LOL!

Until next time...

Possible transfer in the somewhat near future

So, after much deliberation and research, Cory has decided to apply for a transfer to a limited duration posting (LDP) in SK. For those who thought Sturgis was an undesirable place to be posted, well we'll likely be going somewhere much, much worse.

We had originally thought about doing to the Northwest Territories but that would be a 5 year committment that we decided we weren't willing to do. So, then we seriously thought we'd like to go to Nunavut and we were happy with that decision and it's only a 2 year committment. However, after weighing the pros and cons we have decided the best option would be to go to a 2 year LDP in SK.

There are various benefits to going to this type of posting including financial benefits, experience and it should guarantee Cory's releasability from SK when his LDP is completed. Going to an LDP won't guarantee Cory a specific posting but it should help to get us back to the Maritimes upon completion. There is government housing in these type of postings so we would rent one of them and hopefully, it won't take long to sell our house if we do get a transfer. So, Cory got the list of all the 2 year LDP's and I started looking them all up on the map and online to see what I could find out about these communities. Cory also asked his Sgt. for his opinion and we finally made a list of 4 places that we are most interested in going. We picked Ile-a-la-Crosse, La Loche, Sandy Bay and Wollaston Lake. Wollaston Lake is a fly-in only posting but all of the rest have roads into them.

So, now we're just playing the waiting game to see if there are or if there are going to be any openings at any of the places that we picked. There are quite a few 2 year LDP's that we wouldn't even consider going to because they are much too rough and we wouldn't take Cameron there. Our plan is to hopefully be transferred sometime within the next 6 months and that should hopefully guarantee that we'd be transferred out before Cameron has to start school. I will likely have to home school him for kindergarten but I really want him to be able to start grade 1 in a school.

I'll keep you updated on this whole process. Of course, anything could happen and we might end up just staying where we're at...who knows.

Wow, it was chilly today!

I couldn't believe how cold it was in the house this morning. It was all of about 3 degrees outside when Cameron and I got up this morning. We had to turn on the furnace for the first time in months. I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later though. Cameron was even cold enough that he agreed to wear both a shirt and a pair of pants. Although, the pants didn't last the entire day but the shirt did.

Cory worked late last night of course, so Cameron and I cuddled up in the living room for the better part of the morning. Cameron has watched Transformers at least 20 times and I finally watched it from start to finish for the first time. I thought I better watch it since Transformers 2 will be out on dvd in another month.

We only got 10 more sleeps until we're in PEI and I still have nothing ready or even remotely organized for our trip. I've been struggling with what to take on the airplane to occupy Cameron. I really need to figure something out soon though in case I need to make a trip to Yorkton to get anything.

Cameron asked for ice cream this evening which I agreed to because he actually ate all of his supper without coaxing. When he was finished with the ice cream he had it everywhere of course...in his hair, all over his face, hands, arms and even down the backs of legs. So, into the shower he went. The boy seriously loves the shower...he was in there for about 40 minutes tonight. He managed to keep most of the water in the shower but the bath mat was a little wet. His hands and feet and fingers and toes were extremely wrinkly, which Cameron found very entertaining. I tried to get a good picture of his wrinkly hands but it turned into more a game of Cameron running from the camera instead.

Not much new but here I go anyway

I've been getting almost daily inquiries from a certain someone about whether I've updated my blog. So, although I really don't have much to say today I'm posting anyway. Of course, I'm never usually at a loss for words so I'm sure I'll think of something to say.

Let me see...Well, today was another very lazy day. The weather was crappy...overcast, raining, windy...a typical fall day in Saskatchewan. We've been pretty spoiled with the beautiful weather we've been having but I think it's safe to say that the beautiful weather is GONE. I even convinced Cameron to put clothes on today because it is considerably cooler in the house. However, I must add that he definitely didn't leave the clothes on all day. Gradually, they all came off except the underwear.

I spent the better part of the morning trying to keep Cameron occupied and quiet because Cory didn't get home from work until 6:30am. They had a pretty busy and somewhat eventful night. Cory actually tasered a "gentleman" last night, which was necessary but of course led to an enormous amount of paperwork. Hopefully, he won't have any extremely late nights for the rest of this week of nights because it is very difficult to keep Cameron for an extended period of time.

Well, that's all of I can think of to say. Like I said we had another very lazy day so I really don't have any news. Plus, I tired and I don't want to think anymore...it's hurts. So, I'm off to lay on the couch and watch some tv...if I can even find something to watch.

Until next time...

Lazy day

Today was a pretty lazy day in the Dowling household. Cory and I spent much of the day trying to figure out our new camera and taking lots of pictures of Cameron. Cameron was more than happy to be our subject. It's funny because not so long ago he wasn't too keen on having his picture taken but now he's all over it. I'm hoping that we might be able to get a nice family picture when we are in PEI because it's been quite a while since we had one taken. We have to wait for the family picture until we're in PEI because Cameron is in desparate need of a haircut and I am in desparate need of a hair dye and a haircut.

I finally tried Cameron's winter outwear on him to see what he'll need for this winter and he'll definitely be in need a new snowsuit. I already gave away last years boots so I knew they'd definitely be needed. Tomorrow I'm hoping to try some of his clothes on him so that I know what to pack for our trip to PEI. A typical day for Cameron involves only wearing underwear and sometimes a t-shirt, so I'm not too sure how his pants fit. Hopefully, he'll be co-0perative for the whole process.

I guess I really don't have much exciting to say today but it is getting late so maybe I'm just tired. I should really go to bed and get a few hours sleep before Cory arrives home from work in the middle of the night and wakes me. He doesn't wake me on purpose but I always hear him. Plus, I'm left with the challenge for the next 5 mornings of trying to keep Cameron quiet and occupied so that Cory can sleep after working his night shifts.

Until next time...

TGIF

I woke up this morning thankful that it was Friday. Not for the usual reason most people feel that way seeing as I'm unemployed. Well, I guess I work for Cameron but he doesn't pay me...he does reward me with many other things though. He was exceptionally entertaining today. He just did one funny thing after another all day long...so many things that I honestly can't remember half of them. I think he was excited because Cory was coming home today. At one point in the afternoon, Cameron requested to go to Walmart to look at Batman toys and Transformers. I told him we'd see what Daddy said when he got home. To my surprise when Cory arrived home, once the initial excited passed after about 10 minutes, Cameron promptly made the same request to go to Walmart! He forgets nothing!

Cameron and I had a chat today about our upcoming trip to PEI. I thought it was time to tell him we'd be going on a trip to visit everyone again soon. Yesterday he looked at a picture of Nanny and Grampy and said, "This is my Nanny and Grampy...they're lost!" He followed up that comment with, "I want my dogs." I guess he remembers that we left Tully and Macy with Nanny and Grampy in PEI. I explained to Cameron that this time when we go to PEI that we're going on an airplane, seeing as the last 2 trips to PEI were made in the truck. He seemed a little confused about the idea of going to PEI in an airplane, maybe he thinks you have to drive there. It's been 18 months since his last plane ride so we're hoping he gets along okay...which I sure he will.

Cory had a surprise for me when he got home from Regina today...a new camera. Well, let's be honest it wasn't really a surprise because he actually called from the store and asked if he could buy it for me...LOL! He's been talking about a new camera and wanting to get one for months and months so I finally caved. This will be our Christmas gift this year but of course we're going to start using it right away. Christmas is all about Cameron anyway and at least we should have the new camera figured out by then to capture all those great moments over the Christmas holidays. It's a pretty fancy camera and I can't wait to figure out to use it.

I am extremely tired this evening. I stayed up way too late every night this past week watching all the very important TV shows that were on. It's not even 10pm and I'm seriously considering going to bed. However, I think Cory might sulk if I go to bed already...he's funny like that.

Until next time...

Clean, clean and clean some more

Today was a fun filled day of cleaning in the Dowling household...once I finally dragged my butt out of bed that is. I had trouble getting on the go this morning and I think it was because I had a full day of cleaning ahead of me. I did laundry, scrubbed the bathrooms, scrubbed the floors and vacuumed the whole house. I figured I better do something before Cory gets home tomorrow from Regina and wonders what we did here in Sturgis all week. Finally at 4pm today I quit cleaning the house and cleaned myself!

Now I just need to start de-cluttering and getting rid of some of our stuff. We have stuff that we haven't used since we moved here 18 months ago so I'm thinking we probably don't need it. I'm sure some of it can just go in the trash but I might have a garage sale. Of course, I have to convince Cory that a garage sale would be a good idea and that he should help me with it :D We'll see how that conversation goes on the weekend.

Cameron was his busy self today. He has so much energy, it's too bad he won't help with the cleaning...he just makes more mess instead. I clean the potty and put it away for good. He was a little shocked that he now has to use the toilet all the time and no longer has the choice of peeing in the living room or the bathroom...it's all happening in the bathroom from here on out kid! I also finally removed the diaper pail from the bathroom seeing as we haven't used it in months. All in all it was a pretty productive day and Cameron only had a few minor tantrums...nothing too serious.

I'm very busy this evening watching Grey's Anatomy...what a great show. I sent Cameron to our bedroom to watch tv while Grey's is on. He's been out to the living room many times to say hi and just make sure I'm still here I guess. He should really be in bed already but I think he can stay up until Grey's is over. If only he would sleep in a little when he is up later at night, but it's pretty unlikely.

That's all for now I guess :)

A Froot Loop Kind of Day

It's Wednesday and that means Cameron goes to nursery school for 2 hours in the morning and Mommy gets to relax in peace and quiet. In all honesty, I was actually kind of bored while he was gone this morning and I kept looking up to see what he was doing but he wasn't here...it was a little weird. However, Cameron had a great day at nursery school. Every week they make some kind of craft...week 1 was a puppet (which was destroyed before I got a picture of it), week 2 was a porcupine and today was a Froot Loop necklace. Cameron was very proud to be sporting his snazzy necklace when I picked him up today. He was so cute when we were leaving as he said, "Bye Ms. Reynolds" and waved on the way out the door. So needless to say, nursery school has turned out to be a big hit with Cameron. Here's a couple of pictures of his projects that survived long enough to actually get pictures of them (I learned my lesson after the puppet incident):

So, I will agree that the Froot Loop necklace was pretty cool but I've pretty much been walking on little pieces of Froot Loops all afternoon and evening. I guess the necklace may have to disappear when Cameron goes to bed tonight, otherwise I'll be vacuuming up Froot Loops for a week!

In other news, we've only got 2 more sleeps and then Cory will be home. Cameron's actually been dealing pretty well with Cory being gone. He tends to act out and do some crazy things when he doesn't see Daddy after a couple of days but the acting out has been kept to a minimum so far this week and we're over half way there. Of course, I may have jinxed myself by saying that. Also, we've only got 15 more sleeps until we're back in PEI again and we can't wait. It's too bad Cory can't stay as long as me and Cameron but at least we all get to go for a visit...oh, and we get to go a very important wedding in NS ;)

I suppose it's time to get Cameron ready for bed and then I can get settled in to watch some tv. It's been a very busy week for tv with so many season premieres this week!

Until next time...

Finally some quiet time for Mommy

Well, Cameron was a bit of a devil today. Of course, this is to be expected when Cory is gone on training. He also acts out at the end of Cory's week of day shifts because he doesn't get to spend as much time with him. Some days it can be pretty challenging but we always get through it. Since it was obvious first thing this morning that Cameron was going to a bit of a turkey today, I decided it was a good day for a trip into Yorkton. Besides, Cameron was requesting McDonald's and Walmart at 9am!

I managed to squeeze in my morning work-out with only a few minor interruptions from the little one before we got ready to go to Yorkton. We made the obligatory visit to Walmart where Cameron informed me he wanted to shop first and eat later. I'm sure we spent a good half hour or longer in the toy section before he was finally satisfied with yet another Transformer to torture me with. I suggested one of the cheaper ones and every time I do that I wish I'd spent the extra $5 for a Transformer that actually transforms with ease...*sigh*. We finally made it to McDonald's where Cameron all but inhaled his McNuggets and then we were off to Sobeys. Cameron was a little upset with the visit to Sobeys and he told me he didn't want to go in the "green" store even though I promised we'd only be a few minutes (I was just returning the chicken I bought last week that was actually bad). Anyway, he survived Sobeys although he did tell me he was "very sad" while we were in the store.

When we got home from Yorkton, Cameron was somewhat entertaining. He was referring to himself as Dr. Cameron and insisted that I call him that. It was pretty funny. He was also working on his own personal "knock, knock joke". Cameron: "Knock, knock", Mommy: "Who's there?", Cameron: "Cameron", Mommy: "Cameron who?", Cameron: "Cameron Dowling"...and he takes off running and laughing. I think that was the first time I actually heard him refer to himself as "Cameron Dowling"...he never uses his last name. Up until today, I was convinced that he really didn't know his last name. I guess the joke was on me.

Anyway, after many of the usual evening shenanigans, Cameron is finally sound asleep and I can get some quiet time :) I love him dearly but some days he really tires me out!

Until next time...

My very first blog entry!

Well, I often have so much to say so I've finally decided to start a blog. Unfortunately, some people may not find me as interesting as I think I am but then they just don't have to read this. LOL!

So many things happen each day that I don't always get to share with our friends and family or sometimes I just simply forget by the time I get to talk to them. My days are filled with so many ups and downs and twists and turns with Cameron basically running the house...Cory often misses out on some pretty interesting moments created by Cameron because he is working.

Cameron is just over 3 years old now and he amazes me more and more each day...often while driving me completely insane. He is a very smart and a very busy little boy. Over the past few months we have been seriously working on potty training. It was the week of his 3rd birthday that he finally agreed to the whole potty training process after we had made numerous attempts over the previous 6 months. I am pleased to say that we seem to have completed this process with flying colors. He did have a bit of a set back a few weeks ago but it didn't last too long. Cameron is quite amazed at the different "shapes" he makes in the toilet each day. We've had everything from snakes to worms to turtles to caterpillars...I kid you not, he comes up with this all on his own. I find it quite amusing while I suppose others may find it kind of disturbing.

Cameron has a wonderful imagination. He spends hours each week pretending to be various characters, superheros, animals or people. He uses his blankie for a cape. Actually, strangely enough this week he is pretending to be a vampire...I'm not 100% sure where he got it from though. I honestly can't sit through all the children's shows that he watches. Now Cory on the other hand, can watch most of these shows with Cameron.

Cameron and I are on our own this week while Cory is gone to Regina for training for work. Cory left last night and won't be home until Friday. I wonder how many times Cameron will ask where he is throughout the week? Many times, I'm sure. I used to find it quite challenging when Cory was gone on a course but Cameron and I are a little more used to it now and just make a new routine for while he's gone.

Today Cameron and I filled our day with various things. First of all we started our day at 6:15am...I was not impressed! I managed to catch a few more zzz's while Cameron watched some tv and played with his Transformers though. We made a puzzle, made various creatures with play-doh, went for a walk and played in the backyard. I guess I kept him busy enough today because he didn't put up a fight at bedtime which was nice.

Well, I suppose that's enough for tonight. I'm going to try to write at least a few times a week...as long as I have something to write about.

Until next time...