Thanksgiving and preschool

I need to do a bit of catching up here, so I'm going back to Thanksgiving.  We stayed home this year and Julie's parents came to our house.  Julie cooked the whole feast and it was awesome.  Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, salads, home-made cranberry sauce and pecan pie.  When she was asking her folks if they wanted to come, Julie asked her Dad if he had any requests.  He said home-made cranberry sauce and pecan pie.  I'm not sure if he was half joking about the pie or not, but Julie took him up on it.  He may have just been testing her because as it turns out, Julie's Mom had never even made a pecan pie before.  At any rate, the pie was amazing - I've never had pecan pie before but I think I may request it again some time.  It worked for Julie's Dad anyway. 

The weekend of Thanksgiving, there was a world record being broken fairly close to Saskatoon, so Julie's Dad and I took the older two girls to check it out.  249 combines together at one time in one field!  Pretty impressive.

The event was being put on by a charity Harvest 4 Kids, so they had a bunch of other fun stuff going on too.  The girls went for a pony ride - I was shocked that they had the courage to get up there, but they did, and they loved it.  However, I think the highlight of the ride was when Ginny's horse had to stop and pee.  They both thought that was hilarious.

There was also an old threshing display and a bunch of old tractors which Julie's dad really enjoyed.  It was pretty cool to see.  The girls had fun sitting on some of the old equipment.

It was a fun afternoon and when we got home, we were ready for turkey.

Ginny is starting to get a bit more excited about going to preschool these days.  She will come home from daycare the day before preschool and want to pick her snack to take along the minute we walk in the door.  She gets her lunch kit out, packs up her snack and gets her backpack all ready before supper.  It's pretty cute.  This week had a special day at preschool - Ginny's special day to be exact.  It's been a while since I've written about preschool (3 years probably) but the special day is where the parent gets to come along and be the helper.  Since I don't work Fridays, we requested to have Ginny's days on Friday and that means I am forced to go...I mean am lucky enough to go.  I volunteer in the toddler room nursery at church and let me tell you, I would take a room full of two year olds over a room full of four year olds any day.  I guess I shouldn't be so harsh - most of them were good, but there are a few that are let's just say - handfuls.  Two boys who like to cause destruction and mayhem everywhere they go.  Jorja's class had some interesting characters too, but I never witnessed any time-outs helping in her room.  On Friday, I witnessed four - each boy had two.  My biggest nightmare is the bathroom break.  The rule is that all preschoolers go with the parent helper to the bathroom of the parent's gender.  Boys and girls together and just wait their turn.  One of the problems with that is urinals.  Now, I don't remember learning to use a urinal and not having boys of my own, I have not had to cross this bridge.  Where am I going with this?  Well, it always starts with one child saying they have to go pee.  Then the teacher asks who else has to go.  Suddenly there's eight kids lined up at the door all doing the pee-pee dance.  It's amazing how that works.  So for the first trip, both the little 'ray of sunshine' boys had to go and were at the front of the line.  When I opened the door, they were off like a shot, and the rest of us walked.  I got to the bathroom and there were these two boys, pants at their ankles using the urinals.  I put the brakes on the girls, but not before a couple of them saw the bare butts and snickered.  They finished their business and then the girls went.  Four year olds never lock the stalls I have discovered.  So there I was, holding one door shut with my foot, balancing on my other foot, and holding the other door with my hand.  All the time trying to keep an eye on my two boys.  Couple that with the occasional older boy walking in to use the bathroom and the occasional kid saying they need help (to which I reply - wipe yourself and come out, you can figure it out) and it's all very stressful.  By the third trip, I was ready for a drink.  But everyone survived and Ginny did have a really good day, so that's all that matters.  She brought in a Zooble for show and tell and did a really good job explaining what it was and where she got it from.  Here she is in the seat of honor.

I was definitely ready for the weekend after that.  Yesterday was piano lesson day for the little two, Jorja had a birthday party to go to, and we had friends over for supper.  A busy day, but it was a lot of fun to sit and visit after the kids were in bed.  This morning was church and then we raked some leaves and did a bit of yard work this afternoon.  Back to work tomorrow and someone elses 'special' day at preschool.  Later.

2/3 = ∞

One year ago yesterday, Julie went to Mexico to have a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) performed.  You can check out the amazing company and surgeon at Weight Loss Forever. 

What can I say about her transformation?  It is truly amazing!  There are so many things I want to say, but I'm having trouble finding the words.  She has always been beautiful, funny, outgoing.  I think her humour was in part a defence for the lack of self esteem she felt though.  It's easier and hurts less to make a joke about yourself before someone else does.  Now, as every pound sheds, her self esteem and confidence increase.  That is the most amazing part for me.  Now everyone else can see the beautiful woman I fell in love with and no prejudge her on her appearance.  It is still taking her a while to see what everyone else sees.  She will look at clothes and say, 'this won't fit' and I tell her that 'yes, it will!  You're a lot smaller than you think.'  I guess old perceptions take a while to go away.

She can do a lot more things now too - like jump on the trampoline with the kids.  I think this summer is the first time she has ever enjoyed spending extended periods of time out in the heat.  She used to hate the heat, now she is always cold.  I mean always!  This is taking some getting used to for me.  She has always been hot, and now it's the opposite.  Her toes are like permanent ice cubes. 

So here she is - physically she is less than two thirds of the person she was a year ago.  Mentally, emotionally, spiritually, she is infinitely more.  Way to go Julie!  I am so proud of you.  You are a great wife and a wonderful mother and role model for our girls.  We are all lucky to have you in our lives.  

Later.