My Dog

This is Buddy, we've had him for just over 2 months now. He is a great little dog...however he has a few bad habits. First one is he barks, he barks when the cat gets away from him, he barks when he hears strange noises...he barks into thin air. I'm planning on getting a dog trainer to work on some of his issues...but the barking I'm going to take care of myself.

I bought a Citronella spray bark collar...it is the humane kind so no need to call PETA on me. When he barks he'll get a little spray (actually the spray goes away from his face), the sound and the scent is suppose to deter him from barking...I really hope this helps!!

Okay while I'm sitting here typing this he just barked at the cat...and it worked he stopped right away. So far so good!!

Sleep

Okay this is insane...it is midnight and here I am tapping away on the keyboard in bed (love the laptop)! I just can't sleep tonight...I have nights like this about once a week. It is so different than I've always been, I've always been an early to bed early to rise type of person. I was always in bed by 9pm and usually up at around 4:30 - 5am (I know its insane)...I loved those hours.

Now I drag myself out of bed in the morning, I generally still go to bed at around 9 or 10pm...but I usually watch tv until 11pm and then try and get to sleep. I'm still trying to adjust to this new sleep schedule...I just wish my life would go back to the way it was and stay there.

I think caring for Ron when he was sick is what messed up my schedule, I was up with him at least 5 lots of times much more each night. Because he had lost his sight he couldn't tell if it was morning or night...so if he wanted something (even just to know the time) he had to wake me. I have to say that I would do it all again for him...I miss him every moment of the day. I loved the fact that I could take care of his every need, even the most personal and always felt it was such an honour to do this for him. We often joked about this sort of thing...I'm so glad he had a sense of humor even during the tough times.

Well I'm going to try and get a bit of sleep tonight...I'll have to see if there are any Law and Order reruns on!!

Time to update

Well I guess it is time I updated the ol' blog. I did finish Michaela's room and I'm so happy with how it turned out. She did help me paint and managed to stay pretty clean as well...we had a great time working on it together. The hardest part was putting all the furniture together...that was a big project!! But thankfully got it all done and now she loves her new room..so do I.

These curtains are the best, they are ribbons...I thing they are too funky.

Finally she has a mirror right at her level, I didn't get the mirror with the dresser...to expensive!

The great loft bed...she loves it.

The best part...extra play area under it!

Well there you go, a little update anyway...maybe someday I'll get better at this!

From Princess to Butterfly

My little girl is growing up...far too quickly!!!

I am changing her bedroom from a pink princess bedroom to a purple butterfly room. I'm so excited about it, I've just bought a new loft bed, dresser, bookshelf...all the cool stuff I never had when I was a child. Sometimes I worry that I spoil her...and I probably do, but really it will be such a cool room!!

Now the hard part...I have to do this all by myself (well Michaela did say she would help paint)! I'm just avoiding clearing the room out right now, getting it all ready and cleaned so we can start painting tomorrow (between swimming lessons and skating). I have boarder to put up, new blinds and curtains to hang and some flower stick ups...oh yeah and all of the furniture needs to be assembled. I even bought a new cordless screwdriver today in anticipation (I know Ron has a cordless drill around here somewhere but I haven't come across it yet)!!

Well I guess all that stuff isn't going to get up and walk out of the bedroom, so off I am to begin the task of giving her the coolest room ever!!!

Home Sanctuary

Well it is time to make my home a sanctuary...it hasn't felt like that in a while.

I've been feeling very overwhelmed with life lately and have let things get away from me. Not that my home is a hovel or anything...but it certainly isn't up to the standards that it was before we went through Ron's illness. Now it is time to pull up my socks and get back at it. Rachel Ann at Home Sanctuary is doing something called small things, this is perfect for me.

If I had my way I would isolate myself from the world right now, I wouldn't leave the house (okay maybe for a little Wal-Mart therapy), I would just stay here where life is easier. During the holidays I was able to stay home more, no school, skating, swimming, piano...or any of those things for Michaela. I have realized that as these things start up again next week that I will be challenging myself to get out to them...I need to. I like my comfort zone, I'm not one to willingly step "outside the box"...I like my box.

Well I have to get myself together now, I have to get groceries and I have a meeting for a church group this afternoon...not bad for today!!

Snow and Stuff

We are having a great snow fall right now and I love it. I have no where to go and a great neighbour who does my driveway...doesn't get much better than that!! Infact we've already been out and made a snowman (I mean snow girl)!!

This is the beginning of a new year, New Years Eve was quite a sad event for me. Not the usual horn blowing, pot banging stay awake late night. Ron asked me to marry him on New Years Eve...seems like only yesterday. Now 2008 starts without him, I look forward to the new things that the year will bring...but I long for what I had.

I try not to dwell on negative things, I have my moments and then try to move on.

Memories

I must be the worst blogger every, I sometimes think about writing something...but then the feeling passes.

I was reading another blog by a woman named Heather who is a strong Christian with an amazing walk...and brain cancer. When I read what she has written I just feel God's strength in her...just like He lifts me every day.

My life continues on, Ron is in our thoughts daily as Michaela and I talk about him all of the time. I'm always amazed at the things that a 4 year old can remember. This morning she said she wanted eggs like she got at her old hotel...our old hotel is in Prince George where we would stay when Ron travelled there on business (our new hotel is where we stayed when Ron was having his treatments in Kelowna). She recalled going down the big water slide with daddy in our old hotel, we haven't stayed there in over a year. I feel such a big responsibility to keep Ron very vivid in her memory.

I was watching an interview with Terri Irwin (Steve Irwin's widow). She was talking about keeping her husband alive in her kids memories, watching video of him daily. His things are still around the house as they always were, people may find this odd and that she isn't moving on...I totally understand. With a small child I want to do all that I can to make sure Michaela remembers Ron and how much he loved her. I don't want her wonder what her daddy was like and how he was with her....I just want her to know these things.