Monsters still here

3 seizures since Saturday.
Boo!

The Evening Addition
One more Wiggly Hand reported today.

You know, I've been feeling in such a funk the last couple of days. Especially yesterday.
Could NOT figure out what my problem was. Boys were as cooperative and happy as they ever are. Happy with the Hubster.
What, what, whhhhhat?
I could have just ate everything and anything in sight and more. Which is not good.
Um, yeah, emotional eating? Hello!

Then a friend texted as she had just read the blog and wanted to know how things are ie: R and the Seizure Monsters.
It hit me....like a tonne of bricks.
Or a needle poked in my eye.
The tears just started to flow.
So, that is it. That's my funk. My fears. Seizure activity showing for no darn good reason. Freaks me out. Inside and out. Even if it takes me a couple days to clue in.

Of course, I didn't tell me friend that I was sitting in Hug a Mug with tears streaming down my face, texting with her, and skimming through an O mag.

But I'm grateful. Grateful her question clued me in cause ya know, it stopped the funk. Amazeballs!
Thank you friend, Miss M.

Monsters Climb Too

The Rec Centre here in Dawson Creek offers "Try It" Wall Climbing classes for brave kids ages 4yrs & up, so naturally I signed the boys up & threw in a swim to follow.

Tired, active kids makes for happier boys....and naturally a happier mom.

W has climbed before....not just from the play structure to the garage roof!

But this was a first for R. And although he was a little leary once on the wall he was equally eager and brave.

Except this is the time the meds break down and cannot hold the Monsters at bay.

Is your stomach sinking too? Mine still does.

Or are you wondering " What in the H€|| was she THINKING letting him climb!!!"

Well, I was thinking that his meds work, that we haven't seen a seizure in quite sometime, and that he's safe, in a harness.

Wrong- ish.

Meds failed.

Right arm went completely limp and hung awkwardly and then began to stiffen.

R just calmly said he wanted down. When I went to him, put my arm around to ask if he just needed a rest is when he told me "I have a wiggly hand"

My heart jumped. Into my throat.

There is brave Bup hanging in a harness, clinging to the wall with pne hand and his feet, arm unresponsive, my arms around him.....with reality sinking in.

There are moments when I hate reality. This is one of them.

My heart aches for R. I want him to be able to do whatever he wants without Monster fear...or appearances. I want him to be safe. I want....I want...I want...

R does have a 24hr VEEG already scheduled for the end of Aug. I guess it's more necessary than not.

Whirlypop

Some of you may know that I am a smitten popcorn lover. With REAL butter.

For example, we received a hand painted, very special popcorn bowl from a Kindred Spirit.

Another sweet friend gave us a Whirly Pop popcorn maker as a wedding gift and it has been used weekly for 7yrs.

So let me tell you that I am THRILLED to have found an open fire Whirly Pop for camping!

Whoop! Whoop!

Camping popcorn. What a comforting way to end the day.

Whats's your favorite, comforting way to end the day?

Choices

Bed Time

" Boys.
Boys!
Get your pajamas and we'll go shower. I'll get the towels."

Giggle giggle goofy goofy.
"Yes Mommy!!!!"

....and this is what I discovered!

Dinner Disaster

Due to the heat and this momma's loathing of cooking in a hot kitchen, I copped out by taking the boys out for dinner, to a sit down restaurant.
Nothing fancy just not fast food arches as I want to choose a somewhat healthy meal.

Anyway, what a mistake.

Two stressed filled, stink eye, raised whisper reminders, threats and 7000 "that's enough!" HOURS LATER and our air conditioned meal was done.

Thank heavens!

Three games of Go Fish, IPOD time, and coloring pages and I was still swearing in my head.

The crouching in the chair, legs pushed out through the back, crawling under the table, sticking hands in my drinking water to steal the ice, the belching and the singing of "I'm Sexy & I Know It" and I was ready.
To.
Blow.

Or walk out and leave those antsy, noisy kids there.

It didn't help to see other quiet, seated children at other tables. (I hate them! Well....hate may be a bit strong....or not....or....)

I was so mad and then I thought to myself, "What am I doing? "
"Why am I trying to change my child's very being that he cannot change?"
"If he is kind, WHO CARES if he is a bit loud and wiggly, and hyperactive?"

Cause all this hushing and shushing is just straining my relationship with my son.

And myself.

Hearing all these don'ts, stops, and shushes is hard on him. It's a life long challenge if a person feels they can do nothing right.

What AM I doing?
Right now, my response is NEVER dining out again!

Safety sit

Yes I let the boys play outside alone at the trailer while I am inside making dinner.
Usually they stay close by, stay safe and bicker. Really, the bickering is a safety mechanism as then I know what they are up to.
Well, this evening Bup was on his own as W was indoors with me, he was watching "Where the Wild Things Are".
All was quiet outdoors.
Trouble?
So I popped my head out the screen door to find this!!
Mr. Safety Sit.
Can you see he almost got his bike up there too?!
Some help Benson is....just sits quietly by and watches the building shenanigans. By the way, how super cute is Benson....with his muppet-esque hair growing out. Love the long curly look.
Bup never fell off the table.
Yes, he had to come in for dinner.
No he wasn't allowed to eat in his purple throne.
Turkey.

Chetwynd Chainsaw Carvings

The morning started with cloudy skies and raindrops so why not hit the road for a day trip? We buckled into the Zombie Explorer and hit the Alaska Hwy. Those pesky raindrops held off just enough for the boys to ham it up while posing with the Chainsaw Carvings. They wanted a pic with every one ((shhhh....don't tell them that I did not!) and to MSG each one to B the D . Chetwynd will not be the same since these two goobers came through!

Rural Route Day Trip

Driving in the AC cooled truck along paved country roads with steep hills and hair pin curves we came upon this wooden trestle.

I could have sat there all day. In the sun with a light breeze.

These two little cuties wanted to walk across the trestle so there was no sitting for me!
 Don't worry I didn't let them.
 Plus, R was grouchy. Grrrr! So grouchy that he "is not friends with W anymore!!"
Serious business.
He got over it. {{wink}}


The Pouce Coupe Museum is a cute little walkthrough chalk full of memorabilia from past times. Of course, the boys were thrilled with the little train out front. Cracks me up that they even fit in it. And rang that horrible, horrible bell waaaaay too much...too loudly....and loved every noisy minute of it.

Okay, so aren't R's shades hilarious!!! They are a Cuba purchase out of desperation and now he wears them....in public....a lot. Even with one lens that keeps popping out. 


The best 6 bucks ever spent was at the Sewell Valley Game Farm.
3 hrs later.
The nicest Golden Retriever, Spike.
A warm tour by the owner with all sorts of interesting tidbits about the animals.
Wagon ride through the pastures and right among the buffalo. Which.....made me a tad nervous as they were very serious about we must keep out legs in the wagon and I know buffalo are aggressive.
Not as much as the Muskoxen....they are  badass  downright scary!!

Sooo much sun, so much heat and it was time to leave. Time for an ice cream treat and hit the road Jack.
"Full speed ahead!" as Bup tells me. Full speed ahead...

Camp-a-long

The boys are asleep, tucked in their bunks with only a sheet covering their little tukas' ..... due to the heat, the muppet dog is asleep.... about two feet from the fan, B the D is rocking the night shift at the rig, and here I am; enjoying peace, quiet, two fans and cheese!

Last year, the Healing Summer, our holiday trailer was not used one single time.
 Not. Once. 

For shame! 

But, ya know, a little brain surgery at the beginning of summer, may do that to a family.

 So, we are making up for it this year as the boys and I are on a three week (or more) camping adventure on the Alaska Highway in order to be close to my Favorite Husband as he whiles works away, and to give the boys a bit of summer fun.

The adventure began with a late start on our excursion across the province and into the next. We arrived, tired but happy, after 10+ hours of driving and a few playground-picnic-pee breaks. Sleepy Bup did not wake up at all when I carried him (this is a great feat since the little cutie weighs just shy of 70lbs!!) into the trailer.

And why in the HECK won't this load properly?! It's upright in the  comp file!

B the Favorite Husband works nights. Real nights. Not this evening business. 6p-6a. Then he drags his cute, tired self into town to spend a few hours with us before heading back on site for a sleep, and another shift. What a guy! We REALLY appreciate his effort, sleep deprivation and seeing him daily. It's a wonderful treat.

Obviously, this "camping" is more akin to Glamping...sort of.  
Hello! I'm blogging. There is internet service!
 Electricity!
Water!
 And no one is sleeping in a tent. (although a little bug did just run across my screen and get squished...oops!) .

Movie watching before bed.

Our days have been filled with playing at the "lake". I use that term rather loosely as it is man made. More like an outdoor pool really.

Visiting the local museum which had a rather large display of taxidermied animals and the boys LOVED it!


Dinosaur Valley is just 115km from here so we made a day trek and were lucky to receive a personal tour of the Dino Gallery. It was cool. Much smaller than the grand scale us southern Albertans are used to in Drumheller, but well done and informative just the same.

 Imagine being the two young boys who stumbled on the dino footprints just 12 yrs ago! How cool would that be!  They made the first discovery in this area!

Happy 145th Canada!

An outdoor family only celebration was on the agenda today.

"Hiking"....when it's with a couch potato (baked, not fried) momma, well, it's really walking.....in West Bragg with the dog in tow seemed like a peaceful way to spend Canada Day.

If peaceful includes one child who does not stop talking or complaining or calling some of us annoying, another child who pushes said sibling's buttons, two parents who are at "Whit's End" and a dog who decides that to rub his face and side with gusto in a fresh horse pile of s...dung....well, then it was super peaceful and enjoyable!

Amazeballs! Both kids and parents survived with no one being swept away by the creek or as bear bait. By the way, who needs Bear Bangers when we have our W on the path. That boy has a click that is so loud it's like a nail being driven into your temple.....SOOOOO....like any good mom, when we were in bear-ish areas, I told him to click.

He was so happy! We were so safe! {{wink}}

Kissy Boys. Happy Moments.
(Notice the leopard print tank? Let me watch Snookie & Jwoww once and look what happens! Animal print.)

After rinsing the stinkin' dog in the icy mountain stream, it was time for an ice cream stop in the village and home. (The poor thing looked pa-thetic at home when I bathed and blow dryed him outdoors. Since when does Dog Spa Day include a Horse Manure Wrap?)

Pre Equine Manure Wrap.

It's sad for the boys that we cancelled our trip to the fireworks tonight.....but there's only so much complaining and threatening I can do to attract good behavior....only so much poop talk that this mom can stand in one day.....so, after a good cry ( Hot Damn! The boys not me!), a play in the backyard and popcorn, it's bedtime. 

Now, if only there was beer in the house. Boo. That's a Canadian past time isn't it....that I'm lacking in.

By the by, our picnic included homemade GF Sugar Free Brownies....the bomb!
And....Smashed Garbanzo Bean sandwiches....superyum, even Hubster thought so although he did follow his compliment up with "I don't want to know what they are made of". Ha! No, BJ, you really, really don't!

The Hubs & Me.

Smashed Chickpea Sandwiches

Need a new easy lunch? Try these!

And that my friends is that. Until next time, Happy Canada Day to you.