The Pole Won

Connor and Sara went to a waterpark last Friday on their day off from school. When I saw him later on that evening, this is what I saw:

Can you see it? At first I thought it was makeup. Here's a better picture (although it reminds me of a bad police mug shot...)


His first shiner! What a proud mama moment! (kidding!) I asked him what happened and he said,

"I got in a fight with a pole, and the pole won!"

P.S. That is most definitely NOT ketchup on his face! That would be a rotten reflection on his mama! My kids are always neat and tidy!

Boy Wonder

He is a boy wonder. He wonders about everything! Last week we went to the movies. Afterwards, we went to the washroom. Depending on where we are, I either let him go by himself into the mens or, more often, take him with me into the ladies.

So as we wait in line, he notices the dispenser and asks, "Mommy, why do the napkins cost 25 cents in here? Why aren't they free like they are at all the other restaurants and stuff?"

I gave him a smile that I couldn't contain and gave him my wisest answer... "Go ask your father."

World Down Syndrome Day

Today is World Down Syndrome Day. Fifty years ago, Professor Jerome Lejeune published his discovery of the extra copy of chromosome 21 which causes Down Syndrome. Hence, the date chosen (March 21 = 3/21= 3 copies of the 21st chromosome). And it is a day to be celebrated!

Click here to learn some more about Trisomy 21.

Let's celebrate all of our diversities!

Spring Break... Here We Come!

Yes, Monday we will be sleeping in! To say we are excited would be an understatement. The kids have asked for a special breakfast of cinnamon buns, and I think I will indulge them.

We have no major plans. Monday will be errands and jobs around the house. Tuesday, I have some work to do with some colleagues on upcoming workshops we are giving (we're going on an Ontario tour! Should be fun! More about that another time). I also promised the kids a trip to the movies to see the Jonas Brothers 3-D. Wahoo. (insert the slightly sarcastic tone there...)

Nothing major, and that's the way I like it!

Have a great week!

Taxes - Done!

Last year, February brought me a hard decision.

Annette, being a chartered accountant, had done my taxes for as long as I've needed to file an income tax return. It was great: Give her the papers and it comes back done. Last February, I felt much melancholy about what to do. Hire an accountant? (definitely didn't feel like doing that last year) Go to a little tax booth that pop up all over that malls this time of year? Or, as the dutch in me prefers: Try it myself.

So I jumped in with 2 feet and bought the little box of software that lets you do it yourself (that's what Annette used too, so I figured I was safe... sorta). And... I was quite successful, thank you very much!

So again this year I did my own taxes. It wasn't a hard decision to do it myself. But it did make me miss Annette just a little more that day.