Random bullets

• Kerri has a unique sense of humor. And lately, all it takes is a word she thinks is funny to set her off into fits of laughter, throwing her head back and giggling out of control. Today's word was "Yeti". No clue why. Hey, I am still trying to figure out the knock knock jokes she told us years ago.
• Last night, Kerri decided she wanted to watch skiing. She would scream "Go! GO! GO!" at the top of her lungs at the TV the entire time. We switched to a hockey game, and it was worse. Her nose was on the screen and she was even more vocal. Hubby is not looking forward to the day she goes to a live game. He is convinced the cameras will zoom in on her screaming and jumping out of her seat.
• During said N.Y. Rangers vs. N.J. Devils hockey game, one of the players incurred a hooking penalty and had to sit in the penalty box for two minutes. Kerri wanted to know why the hooker got put on time out. It was all I could do not to laugh and explain what hooking was and why he had a penalty. And she summed it all up by saying "Well he was bad like me, so he had to go do a time-out."
• My Mom is in the hospital, so your thoughts and prayers are welcomed. Hubby is taking the Mama Mobile in today to have the snow tires removed just in case I need to head out to Florida on short notice. Since hubby has been out of work for a month (and although he applies every day nothing has come of it) we are really in a financial bind. I know G-d does not give me more than I can handle, but sometimes I wish He (or She) did not trust me so much!
• Our friend who had the heart attack is home and recovering wonderfully. Good news! I told hubby I was going to give said friend a peace of my mind when I saw him. Kerri pretended to take something from my head and said "Here Mom, here is a piece of your mind to give to him." Which led Daddy to say, "Well then I must have a big brain because everyone is always giving me a piece of their mind." And Mommy added: "Well then I have no brain left because I am always busy giving it to everyone!". If you can't beat them, join them.
• Hubby took Kerri to school and was chastised by the teacher because she did not have rain pants on. Who ever heard of rain pants? She has a Gymboree rain coat, and we are going to be buying her rain boots (she is using her snow boots still)....but rain pants? I don't even understand why she would need them, since the kids are not allowed outside when it rains. So now I am searching for rain pants. Whatever they are. I will keep you posted.
• I tried cutting some of Pookie's hair today. I know, I know. I just trimmed some of the mop he had on his back. He now looks like a Muppet. I never learn.

Life with Kerri is sunshine on a rainy day.

Fun with a shovel!

Kerri decided she wanted to help Daddy on Saturday to break up the ice and snow in our backyard. We don't get alot of sun there, so we wanted to help the melting process along by shoveling snow/ice to the parts that do get some sun.

Kerri got the ice pick process down pat in just a few minutes!

Daddy showing off his muscles. And his Goofy sweatshirt.

Posing for Mom, but I think I hit the button too quickly.

That's better!

We ended our Saturday evening by turning off all our lights and computers for Earth Hour. We left the TV on and we all snuggled together to watch the Earth Hour news show. It was awesome, they showed different parts around the world switching off lights, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Big Ben in London, the Coliseum in Rome, buildings in NY. They even showed a space shot of the planet in the dark when lights were switched off, so very cool! We got to educate Kerri on global warming and conservation. And hubby got to play with a flashlight.

Life with Kerri is the reason we care about global warming. Because her generation will inherit the mess we leave behind.

Our romantic Friday evening!

Warning, this post is rated PG - 18.

Friday, after we tucked Kerri in for the night, hubby went to our office with his faithful follower Pookie, to check on his emails. And I decided to be spontaneous and surprise hubby. I got all dressed up, put on some pretty stockings and sexy platform high heel shoes, and then went to our bathroom to brush my hair and put on some makeup.

Just as I was applying lipstick, Pookie decided to take a peek down the hall into the bathroom. And he stopped cold in his tracks. He did not recognize me! Pookie started to growl, and then bark ferociously as hubby ran out to see what was going on (before the dog woke up Kerri). Well, that ruined the surprise.

It took ten minutes to calm the dog down. Hubby held him and let him sniff at me, all the while telling him I was Pookie's Mommy. Pookie was not convinced and had to sniff and lick my hands before he accepted that the lady in high heels and makeup was really Mommy. After all, his whole life he has seen my hair in a pony tail or bun, wearing no makeup and definitely no high heels!

No sooner was that over, that Pookie started to get sick. I had made Cuban food for dinner, and apparently, Kerri had snuck quite a few black beans to Pooks. And apparently, Pookie cannot digest black beans. And so another ten minutes was spent holding the dog while he upchucked black bean goo. Good thing I was dressed up as a French Maid, because I got to clean up!

Life with Kerri is spontaneous - it just does not always go as planned!

Earth Hour

I have a challenge for all of you. This Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8:30 PM local time, wherever you are, please consider joining the cause and turning off your lights for one hour.

The lights are going down from the Great Pyramids to the Acropolis, the Eiffel Tower to Sears Tower, as more than 2,800 municipalities in 84 countries plan Saturday to mark the second worldwide Earth Hour, between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to highlight global climate change.

For more information, you can go here.

And you can take several steps to preserve energy every day. For starters, just changing your light bulbs to the new energy efficient, longer lasting bulbs (they look twirly and don't heat up!) will save you lots of money on your electric bill. And these bulbs last a looong time.

To make this fun, come back here to comment afterwards and let me know what you did during that hour when you turned off your lights.

Back to Life with Kerri tomorrow!

Parammmmetis!

Today Daddy got the scare of his life when he went to pick up Kerri at school. There was an ambulance with flashing lights parked in the Kindergarten school yard. Daddy told me his heart almost stopped and all the parents were rushing to the school yard to see what was going on.

Unbeknownst to us parents, the paramedics were at school today on an educational visit. Kerri's class learned all about paramedics and ambulances up close and personal, since one of her classmates has a Daddy that is a paramedic.

The professionals almost had to perform CPR on all the Junior Kindergartners' parents, who had no idea what was going on! Kerri came home and tried to tell me all about it, although she could not pronounce "paramedics". She kept saying "parammmmetis". You just never know what to expect!

Life with Kerri keeps our hearts pumping!

Volunteer day.

Today I volunteered in Kerri's classroom. It should be a required exercise for anyone who wants to become a parent or any teen who is thinking of having intercourse. Because 2.5 hours with twenty 4-5 year olds is enough to make anyone think twice about having kids. As a matter of fact, Junior Kindergarten should be renamed "Contraception 101".

Now seriously, I had alot of fun. French class was especially pleasing. I learned a new song and a few new words in French. Why, pretty soon I will be able to walk up to a complete stranger on the street, and ask them in French what color their bicycle is!

And it is always entertaining to watch how other people's children misbehave, while your own little darling is on her best behaviour - because Mommy is in the class watching. Of course, she looks over and smiles and waves when I look at her. But really, she is just looking to see if I am paying attention, or if she can copy the kid next to her - who is busy picking his nose and eating his boogers. Sigh.

The best part is getting to work up close and personal with the kids on a certain activity the teacher prepares ahead of time. It reminds me of how much I love to teach, and how grateful I am to have the privilege of raising my daughter. Because I really appreciate that she does not pick her nose and eat her boogers. Really, I do.

Life with Kerri is educational, for both of us!

Conversations

I called my parents today and Kerri immediately asked to speak with them on the phone. The following is the conversation - from what I could hear:

Kerri: "Hi Grandpa!"
Grandpa: "Whaaa whaa whaaa whaaa whaaa whaaa whaaa."
Kerri: "Grandpaaaa, I don't have a boyfriend and a girlfriend. You are so silly!"
Grandpa: "Whaaa whaa whaaa whaaa whaaa whaaa whaaa."
Kerri: (rolling her eyes) "I have a boyfriend silly. I am going to marry Shane when I am older."
Grandpa: "Whaaa whaa whaa BOYFRIEND?!!"

A few minutes later:

Kerri: "Hi Grandma, how you feelin?"
Grandma: "Whaaa whaa whaaa whaaa whaaa whaaa whaaa?"
Kerri: "I have a puppy named Pookie and I am watching TV and I went to school today and (at this point she pulled the phone away from her ear and whispered to me: "What else do I say?").

By the time I got the phone back, my Mom asked for a translation and complained that Kerri never answered her question!

Later on, I asked Kerri what she did on her first day back to school after Spring Break:

Kerri: "Nothing."
Mommy: "You must have done something Kerri."
Kerri: "It was boring."
Mommy: "Why was it boring?"
Kerri: "It's the same thing we did yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that..."
Daddy: "That's not possible Kerri, you were not in school yesterday or the day before that, you were on Spring Break."
Mommy: "So what did you do today at school?"
Kerri: "I don't remember."

Life with Kerri is the topic of conversation in our home!

2009 Ultimate Blog Party for Moms!

It's the Ultimate Blog Party for Moms! 5 Minutes for Moms is throwing a great online party from March 20th - March 27th. They have free giveaways, (did I mention PRIZES?) and a wonderful opportunity to meet other Mom bloggers. So go visit by clicking here and take 5 minutes today!

And for those of you visiting my blog for the first time, welcome! We are adoptive parents to a beautiful 4 year old named Kerri. This blog is all about our daily life with Kerri, and all the funny anecdotes along the way.

Please say hi and introduce yourselves, we would love to visit your blog too!

Life with Kerri is the reward, motherhood is just the added bonus! ;o)

Happy Mothering Sunday!

From Wikipedia:

"In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Mothering Sunday falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent, exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday (March 22 in 2009). It is believed to have originated from the 16th century Christian practice of visiting one's mother's church annually, which meant that most mothers would be reunited with their children on this day. Most historians believe that young apprentices and young women in servitude were released by their masters that weekend in order to visit their families. As a result of secularisation, it is now principally used to show appreciation to one's mother, although it is still recognised in the historical sense by some churches, with attention paid to Mary the mother of Jesus Christ as well as the traditional concept 'Mother Church'. "

In the U.S. and Canada, Mother's Day is celebrated in May. In Argentina, it is celebrated in October. For me, every day with Kerri is Mother's Day. I get special hugs and kisses every single day, and hearing Kerri try to outdo me with her "I love you big to the universe!" is the best gift this mother can receive. For those of you still waiting to become a Mom for the first time, you are already mothers in your hearts and on paper. And it's everything you dreamed of and more.

Happy Mothering Sunday to all the Moms and expecting Moms out there (including those that are paper pregnant!).

Catching up.

Sorry if I was a little vague. Our friend suffered a heart attack the other night at work. His wife called us at 12:20 AM and hubby rushed her to the hospital. Hubby was there with her until the morning. Our friend had an angio and stints put in, and he is scheduled for bypass surgery on Tuesday if they can get him strong and stable enough. He called me today and he seems to think he will go home Wednesday and back to work on Thursday! Men, ugh. This was a huge wake up call, and I hope he gets the message that he needs to take better care of himself if he wants to be around for his loved ones. I will be reminding him, no worries!

So we have been busy helping his wife. Can you believe one of his bosses called the very next morning to ask if he was coming in to work? Same boss also asked for his security badge and for us to get his car that very day out of the airport employee parking lot. Some people need sensitivity training, sheesh. So with little sleep, the very next day we went to find his car, because the wife does not drive. Hubby walked around the parking lot pressing the key fob to try and set off the alarm so we could find it. I could kiss the person that invented those little gadgets!

And to add insult to injury, someone stole all the money out of our friend's wallet. At the hospital, his belongings disappeared, which included his work clothing, cell phone and security badge. The hospital gave the wife a very hard time and told her they were too busy to look for it and it was not their responsibility, and that she should go to the hospital and look for it herself! And then they threatened her when she got upset and told her they would not let her into the hospital to see her husband. So after seven phone calls she had enough and she called the federal police, who have now opened an investigation. Because, the badge is a top security clearance airport badge. And although whomever may have took it would not be able to access anything because it was deactivated and they do not have our friend's fingerprints or eye scan, they could still use it and the work clothing to impersonate an officer (and you can see where this is going). The cell phone has been inactivated, and I am sure it is all sitting in the bottom of a hospital bed somewhere, but in the meantime it just is a pain when they already have so much to deal with.

So today we picked up the wife from the hospital and brought her over for some fun with Kerri and a yummy Daube Provencal (French Beef Stew). Kerri and good food always cheer everyone up! We sent the wife home with lots of leftovers, so she has meals for at least three days! And hubby went to bed earlier than usual, to try and catch up on much needed sleep. And Kerri, who is over excited and over tired, refused to go to bed right away. But once she calmed down she fell asleep pretty quickly. So now it's really quiet in the house, and I can catch up on my blogging.

Tomorrow is the end of Spring Break, and our little princess cannot wait to go back to school. I remember those days!

Life with Kerri brings laughter and joy even in the hardest of days.

Just like that...

Sometimes things happen that can change your life in a heartbeat. Last night was one of those nights, and we did not get much sleep. It is a reminder that life is precious, and that we should never take it for granted. And that we should take better care of ourselves.

So this afternoon, hubby is trying to catch up on lost sleep. We did all we could and tomorrow is another day. And as we pray for our dear friends, we are reminded that every day with Kerri is a precious gift we should never take for granted.

Life with Kerri is a reminder of that.

Quickie updates

• We've all come down with either food poisoning or a 24-48 hour stomach/intestinal virus. So we spent the last few days indoors, recuperating.
• Today was warm, so we went out to play with the neighborhood kids while us Moms talked. I was pleasantly surprised to see some of my flowers blooming in the front of my house! There is still snow on the ground, though. Kerri had fun blowing bubbles and playing with sidewalk chalk with the "girls".
• Our five year old neighbor Lucas told us he has given up gum for Lent.
• His sister will be 10 tomorrow, so we threw her an impromptu birthday party outdoors, complete with a marching band led by Kerri the Gazoo player, and a girl with a whistle.
• Kerri and Daddy tackled the backyard yesterday with shovels and got nowhere. There is ice under all the snow, and not much sunlight hits the back during the day, so that will take a bit longer to melt. We are hoping to plant a spring garden of sorts.
• Pookie escaped out the front door today! He joined the marching band and was promptly caught and arrested for marching without an instrument.
• More tomorrow, I am crawling back into bed with the rest of the sickies.

Life with Kerri goes on, even when we are under the weather!

Sugar Shack Sunday!

Sunday we headed out towards Monkland to the Sand Road Sugar Shack. You could smell the maple syrup in the air as soon as you arrived!

In the back of the Taffy Shack, this gentleman, for a charge of two bucks, would pour liquid maple gold onto crushed ice/snow.

Then we would stick a Popsicle stick into it and wait for the maple liquid to get harder as it cooled.

At this point, in just a minute or two, we would roll the maple taffy using the Popsicle stick.

And the finished product looked somewhat like a lollipop, like this:

At which point, we would all inhale the aroma, and immerse ourselves in the sugar rush of sweetness that was maple taffy!

Sometimes a picture is better than an explanation:

Even the adults indulged:

And the sticky, sweet taffy was finger licking good!

Yup, every single finger.

After the taffy, we headed out to the nature trail and took in the scenery.

This was where the yummy,all you can eat buffet was served, more on that later:

And here is the Taffy Shack and gift shop.

In front of this was the actual sugar shack, where they boiled the maple syrup from the tree in a huge vat over a wood fire. And behind the Taffy shack was the waiting area to go on this ride for a mere three bucks:

Here is a closer look:

Majestic Clydesdale horses. Huge! And they would take you on a thirty minute tour of the grounds/nature trail. Which you could do on your snowmobile for free if you have a permit (but I think there was not enough snow left for that).

Just one more parting shot, I couldn't resist:

After some fun on the muddy playground, we went inside for the all you can eat buffet, and it was yummy!

Kerri chowed down, still in her growth spurt. And after breakfast she asked for a bag of chips, which she ate in the car.

After a stop for some gas, and then for some yummy fruit and veggie trays, off we went to Carol and Andre's house to spend a great afternoon, and ended up staying for a yummy dinner at Carol's insistence. This is Kerri burning off some of the calories:

She is easily entertained!

And one last parting shot:

We came home late, and Pookie gave us the welcome of a lifetime! And Kerri fell asleep in record time, too. But not before asking us what we are doing tomorrow, and my answer was "It's a surprise!"

Life with Kerri is sweet.

Video: Some cow!

We filmed this at the restaurant right after our visit to the farm on Saturday:


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Video: Mama cow's out of milk!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Kerri gets head-butted by a cow.

Today we headed out to the Canada Agriculture Museum and Experimental Farm. It was a beautiful day, about 35 degrees F, and as you can see the snow is melting!

Daddy and Kerri strike a pose at the entrance to one of the main animal barns.

This woolly creature kept making googly eyes at me, and then I realized my jacket is lined with fake wool. He must have thought I was part of the herd.

Baby's got Baaaaaaa-ck!

I just couldn't resist. He looked like the inside of my jacket.

This little piggy grew up. A lot.

Kerri had the best seat in the barn!

It was feeding time, so we got a lot of this. Not that I mind when someone turns the other cheek.

Kerri plays guide to a younger visitor, sharing her knowledge of this furry creature.

These beauties were outside, and their poop had signs on them with numbers. Apparently they are experimenting with different kinds of feed and the poop is measured and sampled every day.

A view of the dairy barn.

And another farm building.

Inside the museum, Kerri and Daddy got to experiment a little on their own.

Here Kerri is doing a craft (making a mitten) while an employee reads a story.

Kerri shared her love of crafts with the employee, who was interrupted a few times by Kerri.

Hard at work!

Then we went on to the tractor exhibit.

Kerri got to experience what riding a real tractor felt like in the good old days. Bouncy!

You can tell she really got into it.

And then it was time to learn how to make butter. Here Kerri is shaking the buttermilk to separate the butter from the cream. You can tell by her face that she was giving it all she had.

Kerri made butter!

And after the butter was separated and the juices squeezed out, she got to taste her fresh butter on a cracker. If you did not know, Kerri loves butter and can eat it with a spoon. She was in heaven.

Then we went on a tour of the dairy barn and met all the milking cows.

The very first cow was called:

We had a good laugh. Corey the cow, however, was not too happy about the whole thing. Here is hubby's namesake:

These two cows were really cute, they were rubbing each other.

Now before I go any further, let me explain the title of today's blog post. At this point, Kerri decided she wanted to pet one of the cows, so she got close to the head and stood there, unsure what to do. The cow saw Kerri's red jacket and immediately head-butted Kerri, who went flying backwards into our arms. She was more surprised than hurt, but there were tears and a new fear of cows. And she was angry. It's a good thing my daughter has a hard head.

Another cutie.

A baby calf.

I got to pet this calf. She kept licking me. It was cute. There was a big black Angus called Ribeye. That one had us laughing too. Of course, we then had to explain to Kerri why and where meat came from. Then we saw a calf drinking milk from the Mama cow, and that led to another explanation of what was going on and where milk comes from. This sign was self explanatory:

Here Kerri measures herself to see how many hands tall she is:

She was not as big as the Clydesdale horse named King, who towered even over hubby.

And after a fun day at the farm, we headed out to our favorite Jewish deli.

When we left the farm, Kerri kept yelling "I hate that cow!" And in the Mama mobile, on the way to the restaurant, she kept it up. "Some cow that turned out to be.", she muttered under her breath. Then for good measure she said she was going to sneak back into the farm and get revenge on the cow that "bumped" her. At the restaurant, I asked her about her experience and she made up a song for the cow, called "I don't like you". I have video of her singing it, but am having trouble uploading video tonight so I will try again tomorrow.

With the exception of the head-butting cow experience, Kerri had a great time and so did we!

Life with Kerri is an experiment in fun!

TGIF!

I have been asked how to say "tushie" in Chinese. I will watch the video again and see if I can figure out how to write it and pronounce it correctly. Or maybe I will just tape Kerri saying it. You all are just going to have to be patient and wait! Because my Chinese is just not up to par.

Today is Kerri's last day of school and the beginning of Spring Break. She has already asked several times where are we going for Spring Break, and if she is going to take swimming lessons like her friend Maria. Daddy promised her he would take her in the summer. We really do not have plans for next week, we are just going to "wing it" since Daddy is job searching. But I think a trip to the "sugar shack" is in the works!

Hoping everyone has a wonderful weekend. Shabbat Shalom! And check back tomorrow for pictures!

Life with Kerri is a welcome break of the ordinary, turning each day into extraordinary.

"How do you say Chinese in Chinese?"

But first...

Happy birthday Grandma Felisa!

Today Kerri decided she wanted to watch an educational video that teaches how to speak Chinese. Here was the conversation that started it all:

Kerri: "I want to learn Chinese so that when I go to Chinese land I can speak Chinese with everyone."

Mommy: "Ah, so you want to learn to speak Chinese so when you visit China you can communicate?"

Kerri: "That's what I said, in English."

As we were watching the video:

Kerri: "How do you say Chinese in Chinese?

Daddy: "Chinese in Chinese." (Kerri giggled).

Kerri: "How do you say Chinese in English?"

Mommy: "Chinese in English." (Kerri giggled even louder).

Kerri: "How do you say Chinese in Pookie land?"

Daddy: (Grabbing Pookie and making his jaws open and close as if he was talking) "Ni Hao Kerri."

We all erupted in laughter, except Pookie, who was very upset.

Later on in the video, they were teaching body parts in Chinese. And you guessed it, the "butt" is just as funny in Chinese as it is in any language for a four year old. Kerri would giggle and laugh hysterically.

So we learned how to count to ten, how to introduce ourselves, and members of our family, and some body parts. I think we will do just fine in Chinese land as long as we don't mention the tushie.

Life with Kerri is educational!

Random thoughts...

• Tomorrow is my Mom's birthday. We miss her and wish her the healthiest and best birthday ever! We will be there in spirit, Mom.
• Kerri and hubby are baking chocolate chip cookies. Actually, Kerri is the taste tester, spoon licker and chocolate chip inspector. Pookie is the cleaner picker upper.
• I made chicken and dumplings for the very first time! Not a drop left, and even Kerri liked the dumplings. Yum.
• Hubby and I are both still job searching. Please send positive thoughts and/or prayers our way! A job offer would be nice, but I don't want to sound too greedy or desperate...yet!
• Remember yesterday's post about Kerri's growth spurt? Well now she asks us ahead of time what she will be eating all day, including asking for extra snacks in her school lunch bag. By the time she hits the teenage years, we will need stock in a supermarket to keep up! Right this minute she is trying to convince her Daddy to make cupcakes tomorrow, while the cookies are still baking.
• I have fallen behind on my mailings, but you all know who you are and they will be sent out this week. Blame the flu, the weather, or just my lazy procrastinating tushie. Mia culpa! Please accept my apologies for my tardiness.
• Hubby has cut soda completely out of his diet, and he has greatly decreased his chocolate intake. It's like living with a recovering addict going through withdrawals. Quick, someone send chocolate!!
• Just when I thought Spring was finally here, it started snowing again. Ugh.
• There is nothing funnier than watching Pookie slip and slide on our wooden floors. Well, maybe there is. But the clumsy skating pooch is pretty funny.
• I have grown to extremely dislike certain children's television shows. They make my skin crawl, and my ears hurt. I have a sudden urge to turn off the TV. You know which ones I am talking about, right? Or maybe it's just me?
• Daddy and I have been spending extra time with Kerri, and her face lights up when we both pick her up at school in the afternoons. It is so worth standing out in the freezing cold for 15 minutes just to see her happy face and her huge smile! You should try it sometime. Well, maybe you can skip the freezing cold part.

Life with Kerri is sweeter than a box of chocolates! And less calories!

A growth spurt!

Yesterday when I was helping my four year old daughter Kerri dress for the birthday party, we tried on some jeans she received for Chanukah and had already worn once. Only to find they would not fit. And they were 5T. "Maybe they shrunk when I washed them.", I thought. And so I pulled out pair after pair, only to find that Kerri would not fit into any of her 5T jeans. And when we got to the bowling alley, the only bowling shoes that would fit her were size 12!

She has been eating like there's no tomorrow for the last week, which usually means she is in a growth spurt. And yesterday confirmed that Kerri went from 4T to 6 in just a few months. My baby is gone, and has been replaced by a giraffe! "I thought she was supposed to be petite.", I muttered to my Mom on the phone. Grandma Felisa thinks there is nothing wrong with Kerri and that she is a normal and healthy four year old. And she is right, of course. The problem lies not with Kerri, but with her Mommy who is in denial and refuses to believe that Kerri can change so much in such a short time. After all, I did not give her permission to grow up so fast!

See for yourself:

Kerri in October 2008, still in size 3T pants

November 2008, and these jeans no longer fit

This was in December 2008, just starting out in 4T

January 2009, just starting to use 5T

February 2009 in 5T

March 2009, and no longer in size 5T pants.

She went from 3T to 4T in two months, and from 4T to 5T in two months. Today she went to school in her new size 6 wardrobe. There must be something in the water or the milk. Sigh.

Life with Kerri comes in (growth) spurts. Don't blink, or you will miss a whole wardrobe size!

A Bowling Birthday Party!

Sunday we attended Tyler's 5th birthday party at a small bowling alley. This was Kerri's first time bowling. Here she is learning how to keep score:

Kerri really enjoyed herself and spent most of the afternoon doing this:

Bowling is serious business, as you can tell by her concentration and technique:

And here she is delighted with the outcome, which takes a awhile, by the way:

Because no sooner is the ball rolled, she turns and gets another one and at any point in time there are 3-5 bowling balls rolling down the alley towards the pins.

She had so much fun bowling, and did quite well for a newbie!

After a snack of fruits and vegetables, chips and some yummy pizza for lunch, it was time for some more bowling, and then the cake.

Check out the birthday cake! It was so cute, when they brought it out all the kids starting imitating the movie, calling out "Wall EEEE":

And after the sparkler went out and the birthday song was over, all the kids wanted Wall-E's eye ball. Kerri scored one, and here she is checking out the eye:

Kerri later popped the eyeball out and exclaimed repeatedly, "I got the eye!" It must have tasted good:

We had alot of fun at Tyler's birthday party, and came home tired and yawning. Kerri came home with a great goody bag, but thankfully she left Wall-E's eyeball at the bowling alley!

Life with Kerri is a(n eye) ball!

My mistakes.

I decided to make slow cooker chili overnight...for the first time ever. I soaked beans all day, boiled them for an hour at 11 PM, then cooked ground beef while hubby tried to sleep. At midnight, I had all my ingredients ready to go, and set my slow cooker for low and 12 hours cooking time. That was a mistake.

Well as you may or may not know, I wear a CPAP machine, that forces air down my nose so I don't stop breathing at night. And sometime after 3 AM, the strong smell of chili was being forced down my nose. Continuously. All night and morning long. I woke up so hungry, as did everyone else in the house (including the dog). Bet you can't guess what we ate for breakfast!

I also made the mistake of telling Kerri she was invited to a birthday party on Sunday afternoon. She wanted to know when Sunday was. And she woke me up bright and early to ask if it was time to go to the birthday party yet. And has asked about seven (OK, more like seventeen) times since. Kids and dogs have no concept of time. That was my second mistake.

So my lesson for today is don't cook chili overnight unless you have a good ventilation system. And never tell a four year old they are going somewhere until just before you get in the car.

Life with Kerri is about learning from your mistakes.

Conversations with Kerri

Before I start today's post, I wanted to take a moment and send out Happy Birthday wishes to Kerri's Godfather David today!

Here was a conversation from yesterday:

Kerri: "There are too many rules in this house."
Mommy: "Sorry, but that's the way it is."
Kerri: "I am going to look for another house that doesn't have this many rules."
Mommy: "Good luck, every house has rules for a reason."
Kerri: "Why does every house have to have rules?"
Mommy: "Because when you become a parent, you make rules so that your children are safe and grow up with good behaviours and manners."
Kerri: "Well, when I have my own house, I am not going to have any rules for my children!"
Mommy: "I was a kid once too, and I know it seems unfair now, but you will understand when you are a Mommy that rules are necessary. My Mommy had rules too."
Kerri: "I still think you have too many."

Life with Kerri tests limits.

Something's missing...

Ever have one of those days where you feel like something is missing? Where you think things are only half right? Today was one of those days:

"What's wrong with your panties, Kerri?", I asked this morning as I observed half of a tushie hanging out. "Nothing Mommy, I like them this way.", answered my precocious daughter. She had put her underwear on sideways, putting her leg through the waist, causing half her tush to hang out. She reminded me of the Brazilian Carnival girls, with their G string tangas and their tushie cheeks hanging out. And she wanted to wear them like that all day. To school, no less.

When Kerri came home from school today (with her panties on straight by the way), there was a birthday invitation in her backpack. It's for Sunday at 2Pm in a bowling alley, and a phone number (no name). No idea who it is for, or where the bowling alley is. So of course I called the number, and a very embarrassed Daddy apologized for being in such a hurry he forgot to put in the vital info. And then he called me back by accident.

I decided to try and bake Rugelach today. It's very sweet, sticky and messy to eat. Not sure I want to try to bake it again, since I think it must be about ten thousand calories a bite. I can feel a cavity growing as I type.

I submitted a claim, knowing my limit was $500.00. Unbeknownst to me, the insurance changed rules this year and applied a 20% deductible to my claim. So today I got a check for $444.00 and now have to submit one more claim so they can pay me the difference of $66.00!

I got a call from our H&R Block person, and we have to pay additional taxes this year. Ugh!

Today are our cousins Alan, Maxi and Natalia's birthdays. And my childhood friend Nora's birthday. And they are all too far away, so we cannot wish them a happy birthday in person. Another thing we are missing. And I miss my Mom, my Dad, our family and friends. You all know who you are.

Lastly, I was missing a slipper. And I know the resident dog thief (Pookie) is to blame. But I had no clue where he hid it and I searched high and low. It wasn't until later in the evening when we finally found it, stashed under my bed.

Thank goodness, I am not missing the most important things in life: love, health and happiness. Something I have every day in my life with Corey and Kerri.

Life with Kerri makes up for whatever else is missing.

The Lovey Award....again!

I originally received this, entitled "The Friendship Award" around the end of January this year. I am so humbled to have received this award again (now called "The Lovey Award") in February from my blogger friends Lesa and Teri. Wow. I am grateful that you have thought to bestow this award to me. Thank you! I am so not worthy.

Here are The Rules: "These blogs are exceedingly charming.These kind bloggers aim to find friends and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships will be propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly- written text into the body of their award."

So now it is my priviledge to bestow this to 8 more bloggers I love (in no particular order):

1. Dawn
2. Sandy
3. Beverly
4. Alyson and Ford
5. Ivy
6. Shari and Myke
7. Carrie
8. Gretchen

Thanks Lesa and Teri for sharing the love, and making my day that much more special.

Rambling updates

• Kerri was playing her Pet Pals game on her Leapster (a game where she has to take care of a puppy). At one point, she received a special code that we could use online to unlock a surprise at the game's website. What was the secret code word, you may ask? Adoption. Kerri was tickled pink at that one!
• Due to a restructuring of the company (because of the economy), hubby was laid off last week. I have not worked since we adopted Kerri, and don't speak enough French, so I am having a hard time finding employment here. And hubby is putting his resume out there and applying, but it has only been a few days. Times have changed and this country has officially declared itself to be in a recession. Not good. Please pray hubby finds work soon!
• Since hubby was laid off, we have had to postpone our trip to Florida. This was a hard decision for us, since we were looking forward to spending Kerri's Spring Break celebrating my Mom's 68th birthday this coming March 11th. It breaks my heart that we will not be there with Mom, as she and Kerri were really looking forward to this (as was I!). If hubby finds work soon, Kerri and I will drive down regardless of the date. But I really don't want to start spending money on a trip when we don't have any income coming in.
• On a brighter note, my bout with bronchitis seems to be over, although I am still out of breath and tired. My lungs are not in the best of shape after the "accident" that left me on oxygen years ago, so it takes me a lot longer to recover. I am so glad I am finally finished with those humongous, nasty smelling and tasting antibiotic pills! The side effects were gross.
• I have discovered a renewed appreciation for Ricola cough drops. I have to hide my stash though, because Kerri thinks they are candy.
• It has been VERY cold these past few days, so we have not gone out much (except to school). Yesterday we finally ventured out to the grocery store because I was running out of supplies! The one very cool thing about grocery shopping in winter, is that you do not have to worry about your ice cream melting on the way home. Nope, it and everything else in your car is frozen solid by the time you get home, even if it is only a five minute drive.
• I cannot wait for Spring so I can finally wash the Mama Mobile! It is really getting yucky, filthy, dirty and just plain gross. But then, so are all the other cars out there. Almost no one washes their cars here in winter!
• And I am looking forward to getting my pretty rims back. Mama Mobile likes her shiny, fancy rim-wear with her summer tires! She hates her ugly black winter rims and tires. I know this to be a fact, because her *&^$#@!!! tire sensors have been telling me so all winter long!
• I am looking forward to joining the 12 step program for Facebook addicts. As long as it's online.

Life with Kerri keeps me focused on the important things in life.

Kerri's night-time ritual

Pookie the guard dog hard at work!

While Kerri concentrates on her Leapster:

Check out her new hair cut!

Pretending not to notice I am trying to get her to look up at me:

And then finally, I get one of her signature "looks":

While Pookie the guard dog diligently performs his duties by her bedside:

Life with Kerri is a dream!

Six

Tammie tagged me for this fun meme! I hope you enjoy it when I tag you! Here are the rules:

Go to your pictures folder & select the 6th folder.
Select the 6th picture in the folder.
Tag 6 people.

We took this picture in Guilin, China and it is of Elephant Trunk Hill Park, a very famous attraction.

And now to tag six people:

1. Ivy
2. Teri
3. Lori
4. Gretchen
5. Kerri
6. Alyson and Ford

Have fun!