Snippets of Life in Canada with Kids

November

 Yesterday at the bus/metro station, the kids got all hyper while waiting for the bus. I told them to run down the hallway back and forth to burn their energy. At the end of the hallway is the exit. I said, "don't go out the door!" All went well...at first. They ran up and down happily a couple of times, then they all stopped at the exit. You could actually see them thinking, considering the one way exit turnstile. I left their backpacks on the seat

and ran down the hallway yelling, "I told you not to go out the door!" As I'm calling to them, I helplessly watch them exit through the turnstile one by one. Once outside, they realized they couldn't get back in. I have a card but doubt it would work if I swiped it 4 times, so I called for help. We ended up going back in through the handicap entrance with my card. I was relieved. Our bags were still there and we had to run to catch the bus. But all was well. Not sure the kids actually learned a lesson???

Finally got our OHIP card today. Now we'll be on the national insurance plan starting January. Took a couple of tries and a couple of weeks. Everything is a process. Since I'm not the one working, I have the legal status of a child. Pretty frustrating. (That is, until I go back to work.)

Planning our first X-mas holiday with my family and my children in Chicago, EVER. I've been wanting to come home for awhile. I want to introduce the kids to things like waffles, lox and bagels, shrimp with cocktail sauce, x-mas decorations, and spiral ham. Man oh man, have I missed that taste.

Xavier and I finally bought alcohol over the weekend for the first time since we've arrived in Canada 1 month ago. The boys have given me so much stress that I said, we need some wine, I need to self medicate. Honestly, I've been missing the taste of wine for awhile now. First Ramadan in July and August, then going to the states, where my parents don't really drink, then the move. Getting wine here, is a grandiose effort like it was in Morocco, just more expensive. And being a cheap person...well you can imagine.

Spent the bulk of the day busing the kids to the dentist. Spent 2 hrs there for a meet and greet with all 3 of my kids. Kids were agitated and hungry by the end. Left the office a little before 2 pm. Walked the kids down the street to Wendy's for lunch. Kid's behaviour was more or less horrific. Then, Austin had this brilliant idea to climb into one of the highchairs for babies. Nicolas, as always followed suit, thought only Nicolas was small enough to be able to climb back out again. I broke a sweat pulling on Autin's body to get

him out only ending in him crying from physical injury and still remaining lodged in the seat. The only alternative was to dump him on the dirty floor and slide him out upside down. He screamed when I did this, both shoes came off in the process, but after a lot of jimmying and pulling, he was finally free. My head was pounding by the time we got home. Started cruising jobs that require travel. At the moment, the thought of extensive time away from kids is appealing...

Sometimes I get an idea stuck in my head, even if it is far from rational or correct. Today's thought was dental appointment for all 3 kids. Took everyone out of school in the middle of the day, got on the bus, hoofed it to the dental office only for the secretary to tell me I got the day wrong. The appointment's for Thursday. Silly goosey. We stayed out, had lunch anyway. Kids were pretty psyched. Now, we get to do it all again Thursday. Felt like a nimrod. Can't even blame it on hormones.

Spent the weekend attempting to sew a Christmas stocking for Nicolas. We went around town and found a bunch of stores selling material, so Nico got to choose the color of his stocking. Anaïs decided she doesn't like hers (red) and tried to put in an order for a new one. I explained, I had the same stocking my whole life that my mom sewed for me when I was a child...The kids spent the rest of the day sewing Christmas stockings for the cat with the left over material. Now, they're waiting to make gingerbread houses. you know

3 kids = 3 houses. I think they have designs to make an entire winter village. That's another weekend long project. The prob is to not let them eat the house after it's built. I always find teeth marks in the stale gum drops torn off the sides of the house.

 

I received my Canadian Driver's License. Now, we can buy a car and get insurance. We're almost completely settled. The only thing left is my national insurance card. Waiting on proof of address from the bank 1st before I can get the card. Our second shipment (our furniture) should arrive by the end of the week. The rest are just details.

Sunday November 4 - Daylight Savings Starts Today in Ontario

Nico came in our room this morning pre-dawn to wake me up so I could open a lollipop for him from Halloween. I said don't come in knowing the cat hurled all over our bedroom last night and could see a pile laying by the bedroom door from the light in the hall. Nico didn't listen and instead stepped right into her puke. I had to get up, clean Nico, dress him since

his pj's were footsies and thus covered in cat hurl, then cleaned the floor. Forgot the hour changed here last night and started hustling everyone to get ready to go to church, so the kids could experience Sunday school. X got really PO'd since he woke up and I had the hour wrong. Oh well. We all got chewed out.

Our first of 3 shipments arrived from abroad 2 days ago. No place to put things since the house is so small, so our boxes are currently just sitting in the garage. The furniture should arrive in 2 weeks, then maybe sometime in 2013 our sea shipment should arrive from Morocco. Best I can say, no boxes were missing, however, I didn't open them yet to view their contents. We got our king size bed ripped off upon its arrival in Morocco along with our TV. Not sure how these items can go missing? Now, I'm just more aware and vigilant. Getting settled.