For Leo...

We have been up to our eyeballs in snot around here.  It has gotten SO bad, that I have started to use the Snotsnucker (a device which I swore I would NEVER use) myself...mostly because the guy who promised HE would do it NEVER does.  

I know...when she grows up she will HATE (bad word) that I put this photo up.  For right now, though, she is little enough to appreciate that even with a stream of mucous coming out of her nose--she is still so beautiful (to me).  

Frog legs

 I loved it when Oliver used to lie like this.  Then one day, the arthritis got too bad, and he couldn't do it anymore.  I hope Phinny can do this for a long time.

Proud Canadian

I have been busy with the International Food Festival at our school (where our Team Canada consists of two other moms).  Second Cup (thank-you Khaled, Masab and Abdul Aziz) was an amazing Canadian contributor to our table.  In addition to bringing coffee, tea, cold smoothie drinks for the kids, AND muffins they also sent two great guys (Luverne and Gilliard) to help us out.  Tim Horton's (see Timmy's--no link for YOU) finally DID contribute hot chocolate and Timbits (and it was wonderful) but I was disappointed by how difficult it was to get them on board.  

I was also extremely disappointed by the help from the Canadian parents to run our table (and based on the faces who showed up at our table to eat all the free food there were quite a few of them).  There are apparently a lot of PASSPORT CANADIANS at our school (you know, the kind who come to Canada, get the passport and all the benefits of being Canadian and then get out...until of course they need something, and then they are back!).  I really wish that if Stephen Harper does NOTHING else...he could do something about these people who really don't want to be Canadian--just the passport please.  

Brass camel

Thankfully, it is over.  We spent one night at the amazing Bab Al Shams.  It was enough to make me forget about all the stress I felt leading up to the IFF.  I really enjoyed myself there.  Everyone did.  I would love to go back there one day...but it is really expensive!

All Aboard!

Went to pick-up Magoo's Canadian passport (can you believe our embassy is located in a MALL here?).  Then I took this cutey shopping at the Co-op and she discovered a new way to ride (and she was REALLY good at it too).

 On Monday night, I learned that little A's school was having a 'dress-up' day called "NERD DAY".  When I first learned about it (after-school, the day before, from another parent) I felt a tightening in my stomache.  I mentioned my concern to the teacher, who agreed it was offensive, and told me that she had changed the title of the day for her class (Einsten day).  STILL--it bothered me.  I couldn't go to sleep until I wrote an email to the principal and CEO of the school, expressing my feelings about the inappropriateness of this day.

After I finished writing the email, I was so keyed up, I couldn't sleep.

I was so pleased with the response from the CEO, who emailed me at 7:30 the next morning.  He was very supportive of my email, and assured me that this sort of activity would not be repeated in the school.  He completely agreed with everything that I had written, and had spoken to the people involved (I believe it was a brainchild of a grade 5 leadership team--which must have at least ONE teacher attached to it, non?).

To celebrate Little A's cooperation (she was disappointed that she wasn't dressing up...though you can see what she wanted to wear below), we had our own dress-up party at home.  Peter and I took her (and just her) to the Observation Deck at Etihad Towers, where we all had High Tea (a first for all of us) at 300 m up in the air.  She loved the cucumber sandwiches (with red capers crushed into the cream cheese), the juice and being with us.  She does understand the reason she didn't get to participate today:  we don't participate in things where other people's feeling might be hurt.

My little victory (wrt Nerd day) is dedicated to a Mr. Leonard H.  I went to Junior High and High School with Leonard, and cannot imagine anyone who suffered more during those years (except maybe his sister).  I was NEVER a participant, but at that age I don't think I was his champion either (although I do remember a few occasions where I spoke up).  I have no idea what happened to him, but the fact that he survived the school years is a testament to just how strong his spirit must be.