did you know there is such a thing as float fairies?

 I didn't. I know, how could i go my whole life and not know about float fairies? Well, we found out tonight that there is such a thing and honestly, it was perfectly timed! I have been crazy doing taxes (2 years worth, I know, my fault!), 5 passports, getting ready for Quest and trying to not go crazy planning summer holidays since school ends tomorrow!

(picture the next part being told by L)

We were all doing something in the living room and there was a knock at the door and we were like "oh it's the neighbor's" so we waited a few seconds to answer the door. And then I opened the door and no one was there. I was like "what?!" and then I looked down and was puzzled. There was some ice cream, root beer, orange pop and some really looooooooooong straws. Then one of the kids from next door  came running up and said "there were 2 people who came to your door, put the stuff down and ran! One had gold hair and the other had blue! Come, let me show you where they went!" So I ran around the corner and saw them leaving but could not catch them. So I went back to see what  they left. They said it was from the "float fairies" 

It was so cute to see the little kids next door all curious, not sure why someone would come and leave this on our doorstep and why they would have blue hair. 

I think my favorite part was when we were standing out on our porch hearing their updates, people who could have been our float fairies drove by. I am not totally sure it was the float fairies though because the person in the passenger covered the drivers face with a paper or a towel as he was driving down the road. I am just glad there was no accident. 

(Honestly, if it's the people I think it is, I can just picture the conversation in the vehicle "Oh no, they are out on the step, duck, hide! cover your faces!!!!" I really wish you knew how much I am laughing picturing this whole thing going down. I REALLY DO NOT want to know 100% who it is, I like having this fun going on in my head!)

Here are a few pictures from the enjoyment of the floats. My camera battery was dead so I charged it for a few minutes and then took pics.

We shared with our neighbors. ( they have never had a float before! Heard of it, never had it, how fun it was to share it with them!)

So then B found out I thought I knew who it was. And pestered me the whole night! 

"Mom, I will pay you all the money I have!"

"Mom, pretty, pretty please!"

"Mom, can you give me a hint"

"Ok, here is your 2 hints, you know them and I think they go to our church"

"Mom, that could be almost ANYBODY!"

"That was my point B"

"Okay fine then, I am going to watch for people at church with blue and gold hair then!"

"Makes sense, go ahead"

Here is his "pestering me" face

I know, scary eh?

This is what I found tonight after the kids were in bed. Oh how they enjoyed them.

To our float fairies, THANK-YOU! It was such a wonderful treat and a ton of fun! Our family loved the treat and gave us something fun to talk about. Thank-you from the whole M family.

9 months

9 months is usually how long a woman is pregnant for. 

It's funny because when you are pregnant it seems to take FOREVER to get to the end.

I have been pregnant 4 times and have 3 beautiful children.

I remember sometimes in each of my pregnancies just wanting to be DONE.

Thinking this was taking forever.

This is a different 9 months. 

It's 9 months since I gave up the one drink I loved, craved and woke up thinking about (no jokes)

DIET COKE!

I know it seems weird to compare it to pregnancy but really, that's the only other 9 month accomplishment that I have, so that's what I compare it to.

There were times I really wanted another DC. 

Like would have given an arm or leg for it, especially if it was a vanilla DC from 7/11.

BUT, when I took the time to sit down and figure out WHY I wanted one, I was able to talk myself out of it.

Usually it was "I am so tired and need me a pick up" or "I just have SO much stress I just need to relax" or "Oh man, that just ticked me off, I want a DC"

I know, not really good excuses but all what I did before.

I was thinking back to before I gave up DC.

I was lucky if I had a glass of water a day (I know, sick eh?)

My main form of liquid was DC. 

When I look back to the 9 months I am glad I gave it up. I realized that I CAN make changes in my life, I CAN do hard things, I CAN change the way I eat/drink.

I didn't know what I was going to do when I first gave it up, first it was just until Christmas and then I have just kept extending it.

I think I am done for good. 

Now to give up pop as a whole. 

Maybe.

the Pan Am's

Holy man, I have talked about the Pan Am's so much, but I think that's what I get to do because I am the mom of an athlete who really does well in his sport. He LOVES karate. The kid walks down the street doing side kicks, round house's, Back kicks, punches. I am sure to someone watching who does not really know him he looks like a hyperactive little kid who could drive his mother nuts. But to him, it's practice. He will drop anywhere and show people he can do splits. At our house, front lawn, school, grocery store, you name it. But he LOVES his sport.

I got a little nervous before the pan am's because he was getting a little sloppy with his kata and his kata is his strong point. When it came time for it, all was well.

This was at 6am the morning we left for the pan ams. Seriously, it seemed like B qualifying was the easy part! I had put his uniforms in the washer the night before with bleach. We have a front load so I thought the bleach would not touch his uniform. wrong. I set it for a 1 hour delay and went to bed. I woke up the next morning and ran to put it in the dryer and this is what happened. I could have died. I was so upset. It was eaten away! I put the other uniform that had rust stains on it to get dried. And I prayed.

I went to work. Normally my job is done by 11 and I am done. Oh not this day. My stuff was not even ready for me until almost 1. I kept trying to keep cool and prayed about what to do. The only solution I could come up with was to get my work done so I could be in Regina by 5 to register. At about 11 I started to panic. My stuff was obviously not ready, I had no one to do it and felt like I was going to puke. I was walking back to my van and I had a name come to my head. We were supposed to be taking her and her son back from the pan ams. I called her house and she was gone. I was so flustered I could not even properly ask for her cell, but got it anyways. I called her and she happened to be driving right by where I was! Coincidence, I do not believe that at all. She was so calm cool and collected,  it was just what I needed. She took B. And took fantastic care of him. What a blessing! 

We finally got to Regina and stayed the night before in a hotel. This is a pic of M and I messing around the night before. Everyone was resting but we were wired.

LOOK AT HER HAIR!!!!! I never thought it would grow. Ever. I am the one that resorted to shaving her head to encourage follicle growth! Now, we got some. The 2nd pic I just love. She's been such a blessing in our lives.

The first pic is Team AB's flag! The 2nd one shows B and some of his teammates walking right by us! The red on the side of his head is the maple leaf. He wanted one shaved on the side of his head. We got it done the night before and then when we got home he decided he wanted another one, so I pulled out my cookie cutter and traced it and shaved it on the other side. It worked fantastic! Then we dyed it red. And then the red ran onto his new Gi! (Oh my really? Thanks to shout and oxy-clean, it's out!) He just wanted to represent Canada really well, and he did!

Team Canada at the opening ceremonies. (The US didn't show up. "restructuring" is what they said but really, team Canada kicked their butts in Las Vegas and we are pretty sure that's why they didn't show)

Good action shot of him doing his kata. The lady judge is his very first sensei. She was so tough on him right from the get go and I am so glad she was. Never in a mean way, just that she had expectations and knew he could do it. Her daughter actually worked with B on his kata in lessons. She was tough on B as well and I am so glad she was! He did e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. he was supposed to do, to a T! I was happy with his performance, no matter what he got. I have a hard time watching scores so I didn't know until the called out names that he WON THIRD!!! Really?!?!!!! I knew if he did what he was supposed to do that he could do it. And he did!

Part of his competition

Mr. M took this pic for us. He is so grown up. We are so proud of him and how well he did. He is a delightful child! We are so blessed to have him as our child.

This is the pant leg of his wrecked Gi. Could you not just cry too? I texted one of our sensei's and told her what happened. They happened to be at the dojo and brought one to Regina for me. What a blessing!