Just keep planting

 Middle of June! Where had the time gone. I'll plant this little seed of thought. 

Still here

 Yep, but not a lot to say right now. 

update It's october again, still not much.

Happy Holidays 2020!

 

 Small year end post

It's been a year, and as I look at this blog, well I see not so much. I've been distracted by all the other Social Media options out there. It's a HUGE rabbit hole out there. So many compartments and dens of Distraction. 

The Kyooty Boys! well they are almost all Adults now. They are working on Careers and independence. I'm sure they would prefer I leave their lives off here. I will try to keep those Mom brags out.  (so hard to do that when there is so much to be proud of) 

I wont tell you which one is which but we have a University Student, a food service worker, and a Auto mechanic.  

Mr Kyooty works still for a great company doing great things in the world and close in the community too. 

Some of the 2020's this year. 

I have been working at my "day" job all through this current (note I said current cause it isn't over yet) and have been so far so good and not caught C-19.  I'm taking that as a win. I had thought of not working back in March  but it was a fleeting thought.  Essential jobs have kept this world going.  

I did find joy in Gardening this year, and so the Chairs had some back yard company this year. Peppers Peppers and Cuccumbers everywhere. 

So the Chairs! yep Still going, This year they really worked hard to have their best outdoor life.  Socially distant in the Fresh clean air. 

May the coming of 2021, bring you all Health Happiness and Joy!

Summer Thoughts

Welcome July, yes it's been a week, I'm here, you're here it's all Warm and Sunshiny!  Summer is definitely here!!

Canada Day has come and gone.


The bees are Buzzing. 

The days need ice cream or slush drinks. 

The pool is warmer

The yard is in bloom. 

The men boys are working their butts off. 
 (see above the pool is empty of my guys)


The Mosquitos are plentyful. 


The Grills are Grilling 


Summer!!

Signs of Spring

Spring is in the air. The Signs are everywhere.

Signs of Spring this week 

Robins in the yard

June Bugs on the lawn (ewwwww) 

Snow melting, snow mold drying out

Chairs free of their confines of snow 

Rain rain and more rain, the River is overflowing it's banks, I have a backyard pond as the ground tries so hard to suck up all the water it can. 

Frogs at 2am. 

Mosquitoes both inside and out, any little opening in the windows or doors and they follow you in. 

 

Busy Summer Day

Got out with the family today. Got to see part of the province we haven't seen yet. It's funny how you live somewhere and don't get to see it as much as you think you would until one day!

Today was a Trip to the Skywalk in Saint John, NB.

A Sail boat on the Bay side

So much glass

very high, I only got out to the first row of glass

a gorgeous day to see it all

nothing holding it up

tiding going out

watching the water was calming though

the view down there

the end of the original Bridge across from us

Chairold and Chairlene Got a

Summer Job

The Winter Chairs the Beginning

Once all my boys are out the door it's run the dishwasher, run the laundry, run the coffee maker, and get the day going. It is then that my mind wanders to the Chairs of Winter sitting out my kitchen window.  The Chairs will never grow up,they will never move out. They will always need me to tell their story. The life of a Chair is an easy one for the winter. 
They sit, they freeze, they wait for someone to bring them into the circle, Campfire, or snow storm. Chairs never argue. They will need me to stage their winter story from year to year until they go off on their journey to the curb.

The Chairs have a story every season but I feel like the winter story is the one I can tell more easily. I can easily imagine their days as a "family". It's a very different family, though. 

Chairold the original "abandon chair" was a lonely man out in the yard in 2007. My kids were 2, 5 ,and 7.  Ten years later Chairold is still in his stuck in his own head. 

Chairlene showed up a years later. She kept Chairold in check. She told him what he was doing wrong. She pointed out his idea of "fun" hide and seek? or some years shes sat on the patio watching him stuggle to get free of his Winter layers. She had plenty to point out when it came to Chairolds life of right and wrong. I wonder if Chairlene was a "first born" if one is to believe internet rumors and "they sayers", she's quite bossy. She knows everything. 
Experience of my own tells me that first borns do know everything and will tell you exactly what you are doing wrong.  Oh right, I think the word we're looking for her is a LEADER! yes that's it I'm a leader. 

Chairolton is he who spends the majority of his time trying to get Chairlene's attention. He is the chair who can do know wrong. He will gladly stay up high or over by the firepit, it all depends really on when the snow comes in the early winter but don't tell Chairolton that bit of information.  (She who holds the camera/phone, runs the show). 
Chairold, Chairlene and Chairold are all part of the "brown" family. They all showed up together here at Kyootycenter. They were all purchased at the same store on he same day. One has left us. He who never got named? He broke down early in his stage life.  I didn't stage him, he was in the house most of the time used as a kitchen table chair. Some would say he lived the high life too high with the children in the house. He helped them bake with me and he helped them climb the highest heights in the house. 

Chairlotte and Chairity, came about in the last 4yrs after the building of the new deck and patio. These two were gifts from my Hubby. He picked out Pink and Purple in a way to brighten things up. This year Chairlotte has been keeping Chairold company. I have no idea what Chairlene thinks of all this as she's been out hiding by the Fire pit buried. I wonder somtimes if Chairlotte is sneaking in on Chairlene's turf?

Life with Hungry Teens (AKA How to Keep your Food)

We have reached the point here where it feels like we are living in a All You Can Eat Buffet but the buffet trays are always waiting for the refills. The food is here but it's going fast. One grocery trip leads almost immediately into the next one. We rarely go out to eat as a family because restaurants aren't going to fill them up.  Where do they put it? My boys have become eating machines. They are almost all taller than me now. I was once the tallest in the home, those days are gone.

When they were younger, I could just buy more vegetables for us and mix the vegetables in with part of the food and they would leave it. Spaghetti night? Mom's is the one with mushrooms, and they weren't going to touch my portion. Now, they'll just move the mushrooms out of the way. It may keep my husband (allergy) from eating my portion but not the boys.

New Tricks for having some for me came to surface today.
Popcorn : I put the butter on give them theirs and then sprinkle mine with Kernels Seasoning, they don't like it, it's safe for now.

Hubbie's Trick for Wings is to keep all the bones in the box with his uneaten ones. EWW! He used to use a discard plate or napkin and throw them out, now he leaves them in his box so the boys don't eat his and theirs. 

One son's trick to keep Dad out of his wings? Lick them all!! first step is to lick all the wings, or fries or pepperoni slices on his pizza. This will prevent Dad from taking "just one" off the slice or out of the box. Taking just one is annoying when some slices only have 1 piece to start. The boys are no longer a fan of just one slice of pizza or just cheese pizza.

Another son's trick to keep his brothers from eating all the school snacks before he makes his lunch box is to now put the next item in the lunch box the second he gets home with the previous days lunch. If they had their way, they would eat all the snacks in one sitting.

What are your tricks for keeping things fair or even? 

The Day of Random Thoughts, or Random Tuesday

Happy Tuesday or as I recall Random Tuesday. Today my thoughts are quite Random. They came to me in my sleep. 

The boys are back to school, yes I was up for the -eat!,wash your face, brush your teeth
-pack your lunch
 -got your homework, 
"I love you have a great day, be nice to everyone", and out they go into the world.
There was a time I was doing it all, I was going to the room shaking the awake, telling them to get dressed, while I made breakfast for them. I've stopped, this year I'm not making lunches. I'll make parts of lunches that are on hand but I'm not packing it.  It's all about the road to independence now.  The time for growing up is here.

Am I really ready for them to grow up? 

School we managed to get a full week in even with weather. I wonder how long this "streak" will last? 

Chairs are perfectly happy this year. The kyootycenter FB page is a buzz with photos between snow and rain and ice. 

Would you ever leave your child to be babysat by someone you've never met before? 

Anyone have any great meal ideas this week? Cheap and easy? I made a lose menu but I'm looking for new. I'm getting some ideas from "Betty's Light Right Start" newsletter, but some involve some more advance planning for ingredients. I'm of the don't go to the grocery store too often mind set. I'm also trying to work our way down our pantry to replace some things with fresher ones. 

Everyone got that Christmas Tree down? or will it be a heart tree? 

. 
 




 

Thinking of Thanksgiving

I know I know I'm not in the USA anymore but we still do the things that became traditions for our kids while we were living there. One of those things was to have a Thanksgiving Meal in November here in Canada too.  The reason I'm starting this post today is I'm curious, what will my American friends be cooking next week. If you aren't American, what will you be cooking this week or next week that you want to chat about, or comment. I like Comments and it's fun to read.
 Some of this:

 maybe gravy?

 definitely carrots, it's a veggy the boys will eat.

 Mash Potatoes!

 maybe lemon pie? or another

As long as there is none of this going on

Time Changed This Week,But Where is that Extra Hour?

Yes hi, there I'm still here. It's another November the Clocks have Changed and I'm trying to post more than I did before. You may have noticed there aren't a lot of things I post about. My kids have grown so much. Today I was getting my day together and planning what I need to do and where I need to be. I've got to the point where I'm doing less running around. The boys have not joined any sports. My oldest is going to College, and if he's joining anything it's up to him to get himself there. That was quick.

found on:giphy.com #poof

There was a time when I was picking kids up from Judo, Band, Art club, driving too and from Curling, Scouts, Bowling and Fastpitch (not be confused with Baseball, because, nope not the same rules... don't let anyone try to tell you they are the same) all Summer. Oh and let's not forget swimming lessons. I was very limited in time and resources so they joined only a few things but as those with more than one child know, it's the juggling that reduces your time.  Some of that time has reappeared, but quickly fills up again.

I'm very lucky to have a husband that enjoys tournaments, coaching and helping anyone. This becomes the other time cruncher, my husband is involved. He has helped set up Drums for one, coach bowling teams, Fastpitch teams  and run fundraisers for the schools. His endless energy is contagious, and as our kids moved up to a new school he followed and I took his place for our youngest. One School down 2 to go.

I have to ask though, for those that have gotten some of their kids to High School and higher, have your kids stuck with the sports they chose? We left Curling when High School homework demands sucked time out of space.

 I don't know how your kids are doing it but my middle son is spending almost 4hours a night catching up with group members for homework, he doesn't live near his school or his group members. And there are times his group is waiting on him doing it all. There's no heading out to So and So's house to talk projects because So and So lives in town, and we do not. My oldest left Bowling when there was a new fee for the weeks we weren't there, and his homework demands increased. Then there is social time, if you aren't friends with your team mates, you want to spend sometime with others. There are only 24hours in the day. My youngest still has time for Scouts, and I think that will be the activity that sticks for him the longest. What are your kids into? Where do they find the extra hours in the day? Also Jobs? Where does it all fit? I can't even imagine the Demands on those that compete in Sports at the Olympic Level? Do you think they are stressed?

Clock change!!

Don't

 forget to change

 your clocks!

 Fall Back.

Fabulous Friday "foto" haha

This was taken while on my walk Thursday but here it is Friday before I got to posting.

My First Kyooty Grad

So this guy right here? This guy Graduated from High School this week. Does this mean I've been promoted? or does it mean that I've completed the first level of Awesome?   And he did it all without a smartphone at school. hahaha

For those that have been reading for the last 12yrs you may remember him as this guy.

in white! how is it they grow up so fast. Who would have thought that back in 2010ish

So proud of my TJ! As he goes off to College in the fall to study one his favorite things in the world Automotive Service. The kid that has to know how it works and why and how he can make it work better.

Getting Out of the House

Chairs Competition

I went out shopping last night to pick up a few things. A trip to the local Grocery Store, is a "get out of the house" kind of night. There in the Deli aisle is a HUGE chair. My friend took my pic.  HA!!
The count down to Canada's 150th birthday is in full swing. Red and White everywhere.

Mom Needs Tech Too

So this week I've been reading in the news all kinds about opportunities for New Brunswickers for employment. Of all those opportunities I've read the most common denominator is, you guessed it, Technology.  I've got a Son that is heading to College in the fall he's been accepted into Auto Repair but in the back of his head he's asking himself, "should I go into technology instead?"

Auto Repair is always needed but so to is technology. Cars are no longer just moving parts and a combustion engine, they are computers and codes and safety features that run almost exclusively through chips and fuses and electrical.  I can't even start my husband's car without pushing a button. There is no more key for his car. My fob's battery is dead, I have to take his fob with me to open/lock/start his car. How will my college bound son get through his job without computer knowledge? Or will that knowledge be so narrow and product specific that it leaves him only working for one car company?

My middle son is 15, almost all his friends are inside his computer. He does moderation and Sys Admin from his own computer for others playing Minecraft. They are all helping each other to figure out how things work and what they can do next. All my sons excel with 4(stupid grading system) in Tech in school. They excel because they are not afraid of technology. They love it. They do not want to be what my Hubbie (Also IT guy) calls "end users."  I am an end user .Plug and play baby!

My youngest son, well he's 12, & I think I worry about how he uses technology the most. He got a DS when he was 7. I had made the rule of 7 and that was fine he waited but I guess in my comfort in what my oldest two knew about technology I forgot to point out the rules. He's watched his brothers us technology for everything! I don't even think he knows how to write a paper for school without typing it.

Then there is me, the Mom. Social Media is my thing, I LOVE it. I got married at 22 and moved away from home. I dated my Hubbie(DH**) using a computer, we bought out house over the internet, we used computers to chat with our friends and family from afar. I did all my parenting using newsgroups* and Yahoo Groups* and blogs because it helped me to feel not so alone in how I did things or how I could help others. I helped moderate Breastfeeding groups,and Mom groups and owned a few too. Facebook and Twitter added to that, but there are times I am still a 12:00 flasher when it comes to technology.



 My VCR or digital thermostats are still set to Standard time vs the DLS time we are supposed to be in now. How will I learn these new skills without saying "oh Son! can you come to supper tonight?, oh and while you're here can you change the clocks?" I've turned into my Mom then again Mom maybe ahead of me she went to the local library and took a FB course.



*these groups are still active and we still chat in a place that isn't FB groups. I can be slow to change. 

**does anyone still use these multi-use acronyms 

Getting Our Spring On

Happy First Day of Spring. Yes really it is spring, I know you can't tell but it is. I saw a bird fly by, I suspect that she is building a nest. She was in a rush I didn't ask where she didn't see to have time for me today. I'll keep a watch. 

The Chairs are busy waiting for spring in their yard. It really is their yard all winter. Without a spot to slide or skate the people aren't doing anything back there for 6months of the year. Snow is too deep, sun is not strong enough and the pool is just sitting. I'm excited for Spring to heat up back there. I really enjoy my back yard in the warmer months. 

Chairity and Chairold not Springing into Action today.

Flashback Friday!

Remember when? Christmas was about going to church, coming home going to sleep and never really being asleep?

When my first Brother and I were 11 and 10, we got up at 2am and found 1 gift that he got from Santa. It was a Chinese Checkers Board. We were obsessed with the game when we went to visit my grandmothers house on Sundays, we'd play against our Grandfather or Grandmother or our Aunts and uncles and cousins. We played and played everytime we visited. (which was like once a week atleast) So when we saw this game under the tree, we squirreled it away into my brother room and we played all night until 6am when we got couldn't contain the excitement any longer and went and woke up our little sister so she would wake up Mom and Dad.

Remember when, the last week before Christmas was time to decorate and finish up the shopping?

Remember when you would line up to go see Santa one last time just to be sure he didn't forget what you wrote him in that letter last week? You knew he had lots of letters, you really didn't want to get yours lost in the pile.

Remember when you would go to the see Santa at the local fire station (it was the biggest red/yellow truck available) and bring home a bag of candy? this stuff

*santascribe photo found on google

Remember when every classroom had a Christmas Tree from Primary to Grade 6?

Remember singing in a Christmas Concert at night? Or reading your prewritten part, because you didn't get picked to sing (please mouth the words).

Remember going door to door singing? but it wasn't singing to houses, you went singing to the Downtown stores instead which got really cold really quick?

What do you Remember from Christmas gone by? Have you kept any of those traditions or has time taken the innocence away? 

It must be the Moon?Random Tuesday

the Moon! that must be it, I'm totally out of sorts today. I'm in fog. I went to get youngest because he called from school, but he called back to say he's staying.  He's been sick since last Thursday with a bad stuffy cold but wants to go "down town" with his class today. He's pushing through. OK, so I figure I'll get some things done in town.I was 3/4 of the way there when he called the cell. Car answered.  I hate a wasted drive into Fredericton. I go to the bank, I try to put the checks? in the cash slot. after pressing Cash and Checks, I press no receipt and then wait for the thing to give me a receipt? 

Ok so I'm leaving the bank and some one is coming into park, they pick the spot beside me but I forget they are longer than I am, so have to then resteer to get out. Why didn't I think of that before I started out? because I'm so not into today. I did not hit the other car, I did not hit anyone. OK so as I'm heading back to my home, I spot the Dollarama.. what did I need. What did I need. I'll go in look around, and I'm sure it will come to me. 10 Plus dollaramas later I realized I didn't get the thing I needed. They are great there at that location, so I ask can I leave this here? and go back. yep off I go, pick up the scrubby sponges and check out again. As I'm checking out I'm dropping coins because I'm positive I have Cash in my bag enough. Yep. I think it's safe to say it's time to go home before I do more damage. 

Am I the only person that drives past every place saying "do I need something there?" before still driving on? I can't be the only person that has a running list in their head but never seems to accomplish any of it? 

Happy Tuesday I hope this is random enough, HA! oh the dentist office called. REmember way back when when every random Tuesday had a dentist appointment? well now it's mostly the phone calls reminding us they want more money. 
Speaking of dentist appointments, when you go to get fillings done who does the filling? Not the drilling but the actual filling of the tooth?