Make a difference

Once again, I'd like to send out a word of encouragement to everyone who reads this blog to consider becoming a "Big Sister" or "Big Brother". The commitment is minimal, many companies will give you a leave to volunteer once a week, and you can make a big difference in the life one youngperson.

Big Brothers, Big Sisters (BBBS) has several volunteering options from a traditional pairing where you meet in the community and do activities together, to inschool mentoring - which only takes an hour a week. You can be the adult friend that makes a big impact in the life of a child.

Here is their national website with links to local sites with specific info and contact numbers. I strongly encourage you to take the leap, do something outside your usual sphere of life, and come along side someone you would never have known otherwise to positively impact their life.

http://www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/en/Home/Programs/InSchoolMentoring.aspx

Evelyn interviews Mom

Evelyn wanted to try her hand at Directing, interviewing and running the camera in this short clip featuring me (Bev). Her camera work needs a little improvement - or I just need to shrink!

A few of Evelyn's favorite things

Evelyn wanted to talk about some of her favorite things a few weeks ago. Finally, I have gotten the clips onto the blog! 'Dora' and her Teddy are featured objects. I find it amusing that, despite much correction, she still has a hard time with s/he pronouns.

Howdy Y'all

Evelyn wanted to show y'all her Cowgirl outfit. She describes it in detail, and tells how she can fight too! Unfortunately for her unicorn - or horse, she displays her pummeling skills on it. Later, after the uni-horse (horse-i-corn?) fails to perform to standard, she shoots it in the head! I was a bit disturbed by the turn of events, but, they are not too far from reality. This clip is less than 2 minutes long, enjoy!

Evelyn is Chatty

Evelyn got into a very talkative mood on Friday afternoon. She rambles on for about 7 min, and is quite amusing. So,I invite you to grab a cup of coffee and enjoy a chat with your little Ella-Bear.

Evelyn sings the Fruit of the Spirit

This was last months memory verse. She still sings it frequently, and agreed to let me record her.

Easter 2009

I did post many pictures as soon as we got back from our visit in Lloydminster, but, as I moved files around in Photobucket, the slideshows all became corrupted. So, I'll re-post a few favorites from our weekend with the Brand family.







We visited from Friday lunchtime to Sunday afternoon. The kids played phenominally well. I don't think there was a single argument the whole time.

The snow had melted, and left a multitude of puddles everywhere. Who can resist a good splash?






The girls really enjoyed eachother, and played without incident. They each sought out, and played with, the others little brother several times as well.

Ethan really wanted to be included in the girls play, but found himself on the outside most of the time. Eventually, he and Evan got into playing together, but it took a while. I think Evan found Ethan's energy and passion a bit overwhelming at times. Evan is probably the most relaxed and laid back kid I've ever met. Ethan is, well, the opposite of that. It was really interesting to see the two of them approach the same situations with such different personalities.

While all the big kids played around him, Benjamin would quietly play and occupy himself with his toys for a suprising length of time. That boy has mastered independent play! He worked on crawling and started to consistently move forward over the weekend. He loved the new-found freedom of being able to get at even more toys. He also liked to explore under their desk and was found a couple of times doubled over and squashed underneath. All in the name of exploration!

We had a perfectly done prime rib roast for Easter dinner. Steve found this technique for cooking the meat that claimed to work perfectly every time. It did not fail this time, and was beautifully done.

We went to the park a couple times, and on Sunday, we took the kids to the pool. I think swimming was the highlight for our kids. They are still talking about the waves and the big slide. I wish we had a pool a bit closer to us. It would be so nice to ge them into lessons and take them regularly to play in the water.

After the kids went to bed, the adults played 'Settlers of Catan'. Ryan and I had played a couple times before (years ago) and we enjoyed revisiting the game. Ryan and Jen were the victors. I came close, but not close enough!

I am thankful that we have good friends only a 3 hr drive away. It was a really good weekend.

Some recent pictures of Evelyn

Evelyn has gotten more chatty lately (who would have thought THAT was possible!?) She loves to talk on the phone now, and will keep the caller chatting for a prolonged time. In this photo, she's talking to her Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Cracknell. This photo is like a snapshot of her in another 10 years!




She is letting us take pictures once in a while (finally!) but still has a lot of days where she refuses to co-operate for the camera. She is modelling a new knitted hat and mittens that she received from her Grandma.







She has gotten a bit more serious and is thinking about a lot of different things. We tried an experiment with colour mixing a couple weeks ago. I don't think we saw the results intended, but she still learned about mixing colours. Her logic and analysis skills are really developing. Some of the questions she asks are really great.



For example, the other day she asked Ryan why the place we lived was so small. She went on to say "Did the construction people forget to keep building?"









I will know that I have a frown on my face (sometimes unconsciously) when she looks at me with her head cocked to the side and asks "Mommy, where's my smile?" in a very coy manner. Of course, I have to smile at this and receive in reply "There's my smile! I love you Mommy!"






She continues to work on her writing, but is struggling a bit in this area. I think the underlying issue is that she is very ambidextrous. She uses both hands equally when she colours and will switch back and forth between them while doing the same picture. She calls her left hand her writing hand, and the right one her scribble hand. This distinction is new, so I think she's starting to sort it out. I have started to help her hold the pencil with her 'writing' hand when we practice tracing and letters. I had encouraged the 'scribble' hand until recently because that is the hand I write with. I think she may take after her Dad and become a 'south paw'. We'll see how her writing goes now.

A few recent pictures of Ethan

Ethan is growing up so quickly. He is maturing, and his thought processes are developing in leaps and bounds.










He still loves snuggles, loves his blanket 'Hank' and anything knitted.

He gets excited about 'Dora' and superheros. His alter ego is 'Super Bunny' and he'll run around shouting "Super Bunny to the rescue!"






He loves to climb and jump, he wishes he could run fast enough to keep up with his sister. He also climbs under the couch and the hutch. Sometimes, he gets stuck and needs to be rescued. In this picture, he is saying "Help me Mommy! Help!" and Evelyn is saying "Mommy, get him out! He needs to twist and pull! Don't just take a picture!" (I just had to take a picture before I rescued him!) He is facinated with babies and dolls.


At least once a day, he will pull a chair up to the sink and play with the water. Pouring, filling, washing, swirling... He loves it!

When it comes time to clean up, he is pretty good at keeping on task. I just have to push him to start putting things away, and he takes it from there.

He is coming along with potty training. The large majority of poops are in the toilet or potty, and about half of the pees. He even used a public toilet this week! (A first for him)



He loves to tickle people right now, and everyone is fair game to him. Evelyn gets her share of tickles, but kids at playgroup, and even other Moms get some tickle action too.









Some of these photos may have been posted before in slideshows, but I moved some files around on photobucket, and it corrupted all my slideshows. So, I figured I'd just post a few again.

So, here's celebrating Ethan Bennett. April 2009. 2 yrs, 5 months old. My little man.

Ethan is a sleepy head

This short clip is from a few weeks ago. Ethan was having a very long nap, and, as supper time was near, we woke him up. He was not pleased with being woken, and craved a return to his peaceful slumber.

I'll take my $116,805 in unpaid salary now, please!

I came across this chart in this months 'Todays Parent' magazine. This is a Canadian parenting magazine. I am not sure where they go their stats from, they did not cite a source. I think they are sifting through the results of a survey, but they never say specifically.

I have heard similar numbers tossed around, and had one financial advisor suggest homemakers have a life insurance policy that will cover this amount of unpaid income. His reason was, "This is what it will cost to hire people to replace you, so make sure the money will be there." Good advice, I think.

I found the 'fair market value' estimates very close to what I would have estimated. Some of the time estimates seemed high to me.

Average time per week employed and at-home moms with two children spend on unpaid work, along with estimated rates if work were contracted out at a fair market value: (hours will be presented as employed/at-home followed by fair market rate per hour.)

Housekeeping 7.8/17.2 $10.38/hr (This estimate seems about right to me)

Daycare teacher 6.3/16.5 $14.19/hr (Keeping the kids entertained, informal teaching, activities)

Cook 6.4/11.5 $14.40/hr (sounds about right to me)

Computer Operator 5.4/8.0 $16.57/hr (Does this include blogging and Facebook? I'm not sure I agree on this estimate, or think it should be included in the tally. I think I'd substitute this with 'Concierge' and include things like picking up parcels from the post office, and buying gifts and cards for birthdays, holidays, and thank-you's. Also the multitude of errands we run would fit here)

Laundry Machine Operator 5.1/6.1 $10.65/hr (That's it!?! I would have estimated closer to 8 hrs for each)

Janitor 3.7/6.4 $10.92/hr (How is this different from housekeeping? The estimate seems high)

Facilities Manager 4.4/6.8 $37.23/hr (I think this would be arranging for the plumber, fixing the dripping faucet, doing outside chores etc. This seems like a high estimate to me)

CEO 5.9/6.4 $73.06/hr (managing the finances, bills, filing taxes, planning for the future etc. Sounds a little high. I'd give it closer to 4.0 hrs a week)

Van Driver 4.6/6.6 $17.12/hr (I wish that was all the time I spent driving! Double that estimate for me)

Psychologist 4.9/6.9 $39.24/hr (I think managing interpersonal relationships fits in here. Fighting kids, rebellion, managing husbands needs etc)

Estimated annual market value of moms' unpaid work in US funds: Employed Moms = $68,405. At-Home Moms = $116,805!

A few other interesting stats:

Average age of brides at first marriage: in 1971 = 23 (grooms 25) in 2007 = 28.2 (grooms 30.2)

Average age of Moms at birth of first child: In 1986 = 27. In 2006 = 29.3

Average number of kids per woman: In 1981 = 1.4. In 2006 = 1.1

Weekly food costs for a family of 4: In 1988 = $79. in 2002 = $128

Babysitting rates: in the 1980's = $2 - 5/hr. In 2005 = $7 - 10/hr.

Spring!

Finally, the snow is beating a hasty retreat, and warm temperatures are winning the battle! Yah! Our road is mud, our driveway is slush, and the snow in our yard is only about 30 - 45 cm deep. There are rivers of melt water and deep pools of muddy water all over the place. The flies have emerged from who-knows-where and are causing abject terror in many a child. "Aaak! A bug!" They have not seen insects for so long, they barely know what to call them!

I am breathing a sigh of relief. Winter is finally gone. This past one seemed longer than usual. Looking at pics from April and May of years past, I think it is about 2 weeks later this year. I can't wait to see things start to grow. Grass, leaves, flowers - anything!

That's all I've got time for today.

This month's memory verse

A nice song to help remember this verse.

Here's another one:

Sung to "Row, Row, Row your boat".

God so loved the world

He sent His only Son

Believe in Him and you

Shall live for all eternity.