GORILLA vs BABY – DOG vs US

As the news spread about the four-year-old who fell into the Cincinnati Zoo gorilla pit, we had a bit of a harrowing animal experience of our own.  After having dinner with my in-laws, we decided to visit a school playground near their home.  We were there for a while and soon, Baby C got bored of the slides and climbing structure.  I decided to let her roam around in the field.

She was having a blast chasing me, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw something bounding over towards us.  It was a dog!  He wasn’t a huge dog, probably like a small terrier or collie, but nonetheless, he was headed full-force at Baby C.  I swept her up just as he got to us.  He looked like a happy dog and wanted to play so (surprisingly) I wasn’t as scared as I probably should’ve been.  He was jumping up on me playfully, not really barking.  I looked over and his owners were coming through the field, taking their sweet time.  I was wearing shorts and started envisioning what bite marks would look like (because, man, dresses/skirts/shorts are my summer wear…LOL), but I stayed calm and tried to remember that most dogs are not vicious.  Lucky for us, he was distracted soon enough so he ran towards the playground.  My other two girls were there and the eldest ran to my husband for protection while my middle child froze on the structure.

My mother-in-law is deathly afraid of dogs and let me tell you, she was NOT impressed with the situation.  She started taking pictures of the dog on her phone.  She was threatening to call the police.  She was pointing every which way and gesturing at the owners to grab their beast.  I could tell she was in full panic mode and was really upset.  Hip Teacher Dada stepped in and called out to the owners that they needed the dog on the leash.  They waved the leash in their hand, which, was sort of our point.  Dog ON the leash, buddy, is helpful…IN your hand isn’t.

We weren’t the only ones at the playground.  There were a few more little kids, a pregnant lady, a mom, and a grandma.  They were just watching the dog action unfold and didn’t seem as scared of the dog.  He took off towards the basketball court as soon as his owner got close, and despite him calling his name, he kept running.  Maybe the dog is well-trained, but this was just too much stimulation for him.  It’s not an off-leash park either.  It took a few minutes for us to calm down, but by then, we were fully ready to go home.

Have you ever had a scary animal encounter?  Has it scarred you for life?

HARBOURFRONT CIRCUS FESTIVAL 2016 – VICTORIA DAY WEEKEND

Free festival season has officially begun and I am all over that!  I love taking the kids to festivals all over town.  I want our kids to have as many life experiences as they can.  My parents were more traditional so we did more dim sum and shopping than these outdoor events.

I love seeing my girls’ faces and how excited they get for a new experience.  They are sometimes shy to try a new event (especially my middle one), but when nudged and they try whatever, they are so proud of themselves.  These opportunities give us a chance to enjoy the great outdoors and I have lots of pictures to commemorate the experience for scrapbooks and photo books.  It’s a win-win!

Last Sunday, we headed to downtown Toronto for the Circus Festival at Harbourfront.  The kids have been here before, but this was Baby C’s first time.  There were people on stilts, funny costumes, and stations for hula-hooping, poi balls, and face-painting.  We participated in the gymnastics zone and my older one tried to walk a tightrope.  We had lunch on the lawn by the Stage in the Round.  We have our “go-to” spot which we have dubbed “Our Corner.”  Baby C had fun just roaming around freely.  We lined up for a bit for the airbrush tattoos, but with two artists only, it would’ve been an hour wait at least.  My eldest decided she’d rather walk around than stand.  We had some fun in the sun and lots of laughs.  We were lucky to have amazing weather the entire weekend (thanks, Mother Nature) and the girls wrapped up the day with popsicles.

Have you been to the Harbourfront Circus Festival?  What was your experience like?

SPOILER ALERT!

It’s my OWN fault if I’m a fan of The Walking Dead or Jane the Virgin Facebook page and the fans post what happened in the most recent episode and I’m not caught up.  What happens if my friends post a spoiler in their Facebook status?  ARGH.  It may not be much more than a sad face emoticon and a single word, but that’s enough to ruin the next few episodes or even an entire season (GUILTY of binge-watching).  It’s probably my fault that I watch more tv than the average person and have a hard time keeping up with all these amazing shows, but still…I remember joking with a friend about how she ruined CSI for me because she told me the fate of a main character before I had watched it.  Every episode, I was waiting for it.  It was NOT an enjoyable way to watch a show.  😛

My taste in shows range from family comedies to horror to drama to most recently, sci-fi.  Hip Teacher Dada and I don’t define the day of the week by its proper name, e.g. Wednesday.  We call it “Law & Order, Criminal Minds, and Blackish Night.”  Sad, but true.  Luckily, it seems like quite a few of my friends are on board with the “tv relaxes me” concept so I don’t feel like a lone couch potato.

Here are some shows that I am currently following.  (It’s great that HTD agrees that relaxing with tv is wonderful after a hard day’s work.)

Blackish                           Fresh Off the Boat                 Brooklyn 99                   Jane the Virgin

Law & Order: SVU          Criminal Minds                      Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders

Empire                              Being Mary Jane                     Game of Thrones        Suits

Masterchef / Masterchef Canada / Masterchef Junior                                    Modern Family

The Bachelor / The Bachelorette                                   Vanderpump Rules

Grey’s Anatomy              How to Get Away with Murder                                  RHONJ

The Flash                            Supergirl                                 The Walking Dead     Ballers

Pretty Little Liars       The Vampire Diaries                  Devious Maids

Any of mine on your favourite must-watch list?  Any shows you recommend?

 

 

HERS IS FOR ME

It’s been a while since I’ve done any kickboxing classes.  Hip Teacher Dada mocks my “fake kung fu” as I jab and punch in front of the bathroom mirror in the mornings.  My friend told me about HERS in April and I knew it sounded like something I’d be interested in (Goodlife’s Body Combat was my go-to class before kids).

I felt a good vibe from HERS even before I had a class.  A couple of weeks ago, I walked by one morning with Baby C.  I met two ladies who told me that everyone was welcome, all shapes and sizes, all ages and experiences.  They didn’t work there, but they handed me a flyer and we chatted for a while outside the studio.  Just from those ladies alone, I had a positive feeling about the place.  They said, “Sweetie, everyone is like family in there.  You will love it.”

I signed up for a trial class last week and was greeted warmly at the door by Caity (Service Team Lead).  She went through the sign-in process (iPad at reception), the heart monitor set-up and handed me some gloves. She ended up next to me in front of our BOBs (Body Opponent Bags) which kept me motivated.  I looked up at the screen every so often where my pulse, calories burned, and effort were monitored.  My pride wouldn’t let me stop though my brain begged me to ease up (my body ached for days later which meant my brain was right).  Hitting BOB is very different than just punching the air.  The impact and the target (you just want to hit his angry face) were great for me.

Led by instructor and co-owner, Paul Le, the class was INTENSE.  This was the After School Special (4:30-5:15pm) which I thought meant the time was special for teachers or students.  Someone had requested Rhythm Kickboxing so off we went.  Lots of jabs, crosses, and hooks along with front kicks and roundhouse kicks.  All 18 BOBs were occupied.  Paul called some people by name and made sure we didn’t stop.  He had witty comments throughout the class so even though sometimes punching BOB became punching Paul, the comments eased the tension and everyone had a fast laugh and reset. Forty-five minutes of intense cardio later (with the last few minutes for hardcore ab work which is a huge challenge after three C-sections), we stretched and Caity gave us cold wet towels to wipe down with. That little gesture made all the difference.  I never appreciated a towel more.

I was still sore a few days later, but already felt a difference.  My abs felt tighter and my arms felt stronger.  I decided to go ahead and do the Totally Committed Package ($79/month for 12 months – 2x a week).  I wish they had class passes instead of weekly commitments, but as Caity explained, they really want you in there to see results and to keep at it.  I had my first official class yesterday and same thing…fast-paced and intense, but definitely a good workout.  It’s the kind that you know will leave you sore, but also wanting more.

There are a few things to be aware of if you decide to join.  There are two small change rooms at the front of the studio.  On my trial day, I witnessed one client opening the curtain on another mid-change.  I’d suggest changing quickly or coming to the studio ready to go.  Another thing, during the ab workout, you lay down directly on the mats that you were standing on for the kickboxing session (you do change into shoes at the door however) so if that irks you, perhaps bring a towel for yourself?   Yesterday the temps outside were about 25C and inside, even hotter.  I’m hoping it’s because the A/C hadn’t quite kicked it yet.  I wasn’t ready for Moksha kickboxing.  😛  I will be back Saturday so the A/C should be going strong or like my classroom (which reached 36C before), fans in every corner.  It’s not attractive, but does the job.  😛

I had a chance to speak with co-owner, Anthony Zhao, and he said this women’s only concept kickboxing studio near Markville, Moksha Yoga, and Goodlife is not by accident.  It isn’t meant to take away any business, but rather gives options.  (I do hot yoga too, but HERS gives me a different outlet.)  It gives women a place to explore MMA in a safe and comfortable environment.  Women can focus on their technique and training.  He said he has a co-ed studio downtown and he sees the difference in the ambience here.  Everyone seems to be quite positive and ready to compete with themselves.  The women are ready to learn, committed, and getting stronger with each session.  The staff and women I’ve already met are friendly and warm and make you feel comfortable from day one if this is a new venue for you.

HERS?  Make it YOURS.

www.herskickboxing.com

CARB-LOVIN’

It’s been a while since I inherited my dad’s old bread machine, but we’ve never decided to make bread until this weekend.  Why 28C temps would inspire Hip Teacher Dada to make bread is beyond me, but I’m never one to refuse carbs!  Fried rice, pasta, mini-muffins, bring it on!

We had everything in the kitchen except for yeast so we did a Sunday night trek over to our local grocery store.  (As HTD was making it, the girls kept calling him “Roland the Baker,” a nod to a Sofia the First episode where King Roland magically turned into a local town baker.)  A couple of hours later, we had a hot loaf ready to go, but the two-pound loaf was spilling out of the machine.  HTD kept looking online because he couldn’t figure it out.  What was wrong with this recipe/ingredients/machine?  The ends were not getting browned (nor cooked apparently).

He reassured me that he followed directions to a T.  Refusing to give up, HTP did another loaf the next night on Victoria Day.  This time, he followed the one-pound loaf recipe and this one was perfect!  Victorious on Victoria Day!  The whole first floor smelled like a bakery and the final product was delicious.  We did a light toast with some Nutella and enjoyed a very carby dessert.  Mmmmm!

Have you ever made bread before?  Machine or the old-fashioned way?

WHOA WEEDS! (NOT OURS)

During the past two weeks, I’ve had this discussion with Hip Teacher Dada and several friends.  Everyone has told me that I can’t say anything to my neighbours, but I can drop subtle hints.  I’m not great at subtle and more blunt than anything, but the lawn situation is starting to irk me.  I’m gonna lose my cool any second and the truth will come spewing out.  One friend suggested doing their weeds because nothing is more embarrassing than seeing your neighbour try to take care of your nasty front lawn.  I’ve done a bit because  I keep encroaching in their space.   (It’s like tweezing your eyebrows – sometimes you just can’t stop.)  I really don’t want their disaster to spread to us so I’m trying hard to play (a losing) defense.

Now we don’t have an A+ lawn, but our grass is green and Hip Teacher Dada will get out there to mow weekly (when bugged).  My beef is with our neighbours – even though they are lovely people, every day during my baby’s first nap, I’m outside with gloves and tool in hand digging out those suckers.  It may be just 5-10 of them, but STILL.  I have other things to do than to dig out those damn dandelions and prickly weeds daily (those are the worst)!  (Thinking positively, at least I’m getting some colour.)

How do I hint to them to make lawn care a priority?  In our old house, we didn’t have the greatest lawn and that was because we were new to home ownership.  We were exhausted from work and we had babies.  We just didn’t have time to read and figure out what to do and execute the plan.  Here, I’ve come home during the weekdays and they are sitting on the porch having a drink.  I’ve seen them come back from a leisurely stroll.  The neighbours have kids who are teens or older.  They can totally help with lawn care!  Even my five and seven-year-olds came out to assist in finding the micro weeds.  (Truthfully, they just wanted to wear their new gardening gloves, but whatever works!)

I’m afraid to see what may happen if we go away for more than three days.  We’ll come back to a lawn full of “pretty yellow flowers.”  More than a week, we may not even be able to see our house.  😦

HOW IS YOUR LAWN GAME THIS YEAR?  🙂

*As for games, my beloved Raptors have tied up the Eastern Conference Series 2-2 with two convincing home wins on Saturday and Monday nights.  I can’t believe we are two games away from the NBA Finals.  Like hosting the All-Star Weekend, this is something I didn’t think was possible.  I’m SO excited and happy for them!  #WeTheNorth

WOULD YOU LEAVE A SLEEPING BABY ALONE?

I was watching The Social yesterday (my favourite local daytime talk show) and they talking about something I’ve discussed with friends before.  Apparently a mom had posed a question on social media and there were people in both camps who had strong opinions.   Was what she did appropriate?  Her baby sleeps regularly for an hour at the same time.  The mom had popped out for seven minutes to pick up some boxes of clothes ordered online.  Her apartment has no elevator so she didn’t want to bring a baby and lug up the boxes.  She also admitted to wanting a few minutes to try on the new items in peace.

Seven minutes is enough time to grab a shower.  🙂  I’ve shoveled the snow and pulled some weeds while my babies slept.  I’ve brought the recycling bins back in from the bottom of my driveway or taken out the organics to the garage.  However, I would never leave my property!  During nap times, I’m constantly watching the monitor while I do dishes or prep for dinner.  I wouldn’t leave my property to fill up my gas tank or grab the mail.  What if there was a car accident?  Who would know there was a baby in the house?

Surprisingly a lot of moms understood where the mom was coming from and supported her.   A couple said they’ve walked their dogs or gone for a jog.  Others have said they’d left their sleeping babies in the car while they went to into a store for a quick purchase.  They said they’ve weighed the risk between a stolen car and a ruined sleep and would take the chance on losing their vehicle with their baby in it.

Have you left your kids while they napped?

WHO CARES, COACH?

‎Wow.   I’m sitting here watching my eldest’s weekly basketball class with the town. I’m sending livid texts to Hip Teacher Dada and friends because if I don’t, frankly, I may lose my mind. It’s taking a lot of self-control not to glare at the parents around me or the kids who are so self-absorbed that the coaches and ten other waiting (paying) girls don’t matter. A couple of them MUST have a conversation right then and there and it’s not about the drill.  It just doesn’t matter if the coach is staring and waiting…again.

During this hour, I’ve witnessed kids running up to the window to wave to their moms, a girl rolling around on the ground, dancing instead of drills, and one girl (we’ll call her “Brooklyn”) constantly being asked by the coaches to stop talking. Of course, her mother is outside chatting with another mom, but I get the feeling that her being in the gym wouldn’t even matter. Some of these kids look like they’ve never been to class before and if they have, I wouldn’t be thrilled to have them in mine. Why does a coach have to repeat herself four times before it sinks in? Why does the “broken record” theory have to apply?  I can’t be the only parent who feels this way!

Now I’m trying to see the situation through the eyes of a young girl after a hard day at school. Maybe she’s tired? Maybe she’s hungry? Maybe she doesn’t want to be here. Yet, they are giggling and chatting and have enough energy to run back and forth waving to their moms. They can scoot around while the drills call for pivoting and defense.  Was there an expiry date for respect? When the clock struck 3:30pm, did the ability to follow rules go out the door (when the girls did)?  Cinderella Syndrome!

I really WANTED to say something, but I texted instead to vent my annoyance.  I could see that the coaches were annoyed and frustrated, but I also feel for them.  They are just teenagers themselves or maybe university age.  It was probably hard for them to do more than they did which was give some stern looks and plead with the child to stop chatting.  As a parent, if my child was disrupting a class for others, not listening to the coach, and running around when she should be lining up, I’d certainly say something to my kid.  Doesn’t learning and showing respect start at home?

Would seeing this irk you?  Would you do anything about it?

THOSE DARN BUGS

When spring rolls around, I feel like jumping for joy.  Not only do I envision park playdates and chilling in our backyard, but I believe that all the nasty illnesses we encounter magically disappear off the face of the earth.  😛  This isn’t the case with my family this season.

Last weekend, my one-year-old was sick with a fever so she missed an evening playdate.  It was the third rescheduled playdate and the mommies and I hadn’t caught up in months so I just brought the big girls.  On Monday afterschool, my eldest had a mild fever and said she felt unwell.  My middle child complained of a fever, sore throat, and headache.  Bleh.  Not sure about all kids, but mine need extra cuddles and coddling when they don’t feel well.  It’s all about not breathing in too deeply when snuggling and turning away when their unexpected sneeze sends THEM flying.  I have to find the right balance between playing nurse and playing defense…if I go down, we all go down.  😛

I usually pop some zinc and echinacea if I feel something coming on and hope for the best.  I wash my hands obsessively and make my kids do the same.  I’ll drink more water and TRY to rest earlier instead of enjoying my late bedtimes (I’m making the most of this maternity leave and binge-watching is SO MUCH FUN).

What do you moms do to protect yourself when your kids get sick?

*Hip Teacher Dada thought this would be a fun article to share.  Our middle child did this once in the parking lot at a local mall.  We STILL talk about it five years later.

“EXCEL”LENT JOB, PROFESSOR

I’m all about silly songs and changing words to suit a familiar tune (just ask my husband and girls what they have to put up with).  I’m also about learning new skills and being the teacher who will keep her class engaged no matter what the cost.  I’ve donned big glasses and a lab coat to transition them to a science lesson.  I’ve brought in my high school art work to show them that anyone (even me) can create a masterpiece with enough direction and time.   I’ve raced my Grade 6’s across the soccer field (I won) and challenged them to a planking competition (I lost).

Clint Tuttle from the University of Texas, captured his students’ attention and probably hearts by performing his version of Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself.”  I have to say it’s a bit cheesy, but he’s made me want to learn Excel, Belieb it or not!