Normally I read bed time stories, but I'm feeling under the weather, so I told the kids, "If you're lucky, Mum will...

Normally I read bed time stories, but I'm feeling under the weather, so I told the kids, "If you're lucky, Mum will read you bed time stories."
Liam excitedly, "I'm lucky!!!"

Picking out the Christmas tree

Picking out the Christmas tree
https://photos.app.goo.gl/upeIWRm3NZBouaAg2

Oma had been explaining to the kids that Opa was at home because he was retired from work.

Oma had been explaining to the kids that Opa was at home because he was retired from work. When I got home, Liam excitedly exclaimed that, "Opa is at home because he is REAL TIRED!"

I was getting breakfast ready in the morning with the youngest two.

I was getting breakfast ready in the morning with the youngest two. It was crunch time, so I couldn't pay full attention. Out of the corner of my eye I see Elle reaching for the bowl of knick-knacks on the counter, which she's not supposed to get into.

Before I can say anything, Elle very sweetly and cheerfully goes, "Sorry, Dad!", while continuing to rummage in the bowl.

Then Liam follows up with, "It's ok, dad still loves you."

On the one hand it's great that they understand unconditional love, on the other...

Elle refused to wear her princess dress for Halloween and insisted on the cow outfit.

Elle refused to wear her princess dress for Halloween and insisted on the cow outfit. However, her brothers hand me down mitts were met with protest because they were not pink. #justellethings

We told the boys that they could have as much candy as they wanted the first night...

We told the boys that they could have as much candy as they wanted the first night...

Classic

Classic

Liam, telling a story at the dinner table, "The monster was chasing me down the stairs..."

Liam, telling a story at the dinner table, "The monster was chasing me down the stairs..."
James, "Was the monster Ellie?"
Elle, who has been busy eating her dinner up to this point, looks up at James and begins growling.

Sara, "James, you really need to clip your toe nails.

Sara, "James, you really need to clip your toe nails. Your feet are so dirty I can tell exactly where they need to be cut."
James, "It's ok, I lick them every night."
Sara and me in unison, "You do what?!!"
James, "Yeah, it's great, they taste sweet, it cleans them, and it cools me down."

On weekends Liam likes to help me make breakfast.

On weekends Liam likes to help me make breakfast. I'm a bit of a coffee snob, so I always use good beans and grind them myself. One of the things he always does is ask to smell the coffee grounds right after I've ground them, and he always responds by enthusiastically exclaiming, "oh, that smells good!" I just assumed he always said it just because, but today I was cleaning the grinder by running cheaper President's Choice beans through, and he asked to smell them, just like normal. Except this time he goes, "l don't like that daddy." Great, so we have another snob, but he's not even drinking coffee yet...

Neighbor boy (who's Nate's age), "I have more muscles than my dad."

Neighbor boy (who's Nate's age), "I have more muscles than my dad."
James, "OK, are you done making stuff up just so people will like you?"
Nate, "Humans have the same amount of muscles, unless they've had some removed by surgery."

🍁 Canada 🍁 Games Gold Medal Basketball Match with the boys and then all you can eat sushi!

🍁 Canada 🍁 Games Gold Medal Basketball Match with the boys and then all you can eat sushi!

My ringers polished off:
Dynamite rolls x 3
Yam tempura roll
Cucumber avacado roll
Cucumber roll
Yakatori skewers x2
Spring rolls
Chicken balls
Chicken fried rice
(doesn't include the rolls I ordered just for me)

Dim sum, yum!

Dim sum, yum!

Culinary innovation...

Culinary innovation...

Didn’t let Elle slug her brother, Liam, in the head with a book. Liam is now trying to comfort her to no avail...

Didn’t let Elle slug her brother, Liam, in the head with a book. Liam is now trying to comfort her to no avail...

Our little princess...

Our little princess...

Stephen Epp​, I see your puddle explorers and raise you this.

Stephen Epp​, I see your puddle explorers and raise you this.
https://goo.gl/photos/Sf7KRwGAF67RZvBMA

Title

Might have made too much pizza...

Might have made too much pizza...

Our boys at night...

Our boys at night...
https://i.imgur.com/7GiEoRN.mp4

Sara has been out of town with Elle for a couple days, the older two know what's going on, but Liam still asks about...

Sara has been out of town with Elle for a couple days, the older two know what's going on, but Liam still asks about where Mom is each day. We then both count on our fingers how many days until Mom comes back, and he seems to be okay with it and move on.

Anyways, this afternoon I took the opportunity to go out and hunt down a birthday present for Sara with the boys since she was out of town. After a while the boys started to lose focus and began looking at things that interested them instead, so I said, "Remember, boys, we're here to look for Mom." Liam, runs around the corner yelling, "Mom?!!, Mom?!!!", hopefully. Poor guy, had to talk down from it.

In contrast, Nate just told me he wishes Mom was coming back on Tuesday instead of Monday (a holiday), so he can skip a bit of school to pick her up.

Festival with the boys! #heho

Festival with the boys! #heho

We have a phone repairman in our house. James is running around in his underwear.

We have a phone repairman in our house. James is running around in his underwear.
Me, "James, no running around in your underwear because there's someone else in our house."
Pause. "OK, I'll just walk around."