Update

We've been keeping busy over the last two weeks since I posted.... as usual.

I was gone for a week to visit my grandpa.  His health had declined enough that my family was urging me to make a decision, so I hopped a same day flight and spent a week with him.  It was a good visit, we were able to communicate somewhat and spend time together with him and also my grandma. I also got to take my cousin baby registering, which was lots of fun and an evening out with a couple of friends. 

The hospice coordinator arrived on Saturday and went over how everything gets paid for, what hospice means (different payment/coverage and stopping a lot of the therapies he's been receiving, what assistance if he gets into a life-threatening emergency, prognosis of less than 6 months to live, etc).  Grandpa stayed up in his wheelchair rather than bed for the entire meeting and stayed awake, which seemed unusual since he'd been dozing on and off throughout the day.  Something from the meeting must have lit a fire under that man.  He then proceeded to finish off his dinner, feeding himself and start talking more. Even though talking is frustrating for us (we often can't understand him) and for him, the more he does it, the better it seems to get... practice makes perfect if you will.

Grandma says since I got back, he's eating more (well, still not as much as he should-it's institutional food after all), talking more and on a visit back to their apartment tried to grab hold so they wouldn't try to take him back to the nursing home.  Apparently he's still got some fire left in him!  Grandma has been asking to have neurologist do another scan to check the brain clot in his brain that is supposed to be the reason for a lot of his troubles to see if it's moved or if it's all his motivation.  She's also trying to meet with the care coordinator (who's on vacation right now) to see if he can maybe get some more physical and speech therapy since he seems to be interested in them now.

I think the hardest part of being away is I have to rely on second-hand reports as the internet in the nursing home is quite spotty and requires someone with enough technology know-how to get me an audience with him to see him as much in person as I can.  His caregivers, close family with different knowledge bases... (my aunt and grandma who see him pretty much every day and know him best balanced with my parents who are his medical guardians and know medically where he stands and are in touch with the nursing home and various other family members who visit as they can) can give me very different reports from day to day and week to week.

In day to day stuff;  I'm sure there's more pictures and video but I had to switch memory cards in the computer as I filled one up!  So these are just more recent stuff, I'll have to go back and add more here another time...

We're still mostly swimming, riding bikes, playing outside, etc. We're working on going to bed and getting up earlier as school starts in 2 weeks! 

In fact, after 4 hours at Walmart and garage and Goodwill shopping (we found a desk for Carter-nice teacher's desk that I totally want to steal from him and a nightstand that will fit next to our bed that I spray painted an oiled bronze) Carter wanted to go for a bike ride somewhere, so we decided to head to McDonald's for cones.  It's about a 4 km round trip ride and Henri  insisted on riding as well. He's not quite figured out that training wheels are training for a 2 wheel bike, not stable like a tricycle.  1.75 hours later we got home.... poor kid fell over and over, not a single complaint and he kept insisting he could make it home.  He explained, "I forgave my bike and my bike forgives me"  what a tough cookie!

We weighed the kids. Carter's 8 1/2 and 52 pounds, Henri is almost 5 and 33 pounds, Valerie's just turned 3 and is 30 pounds.  We think we've figured out Henri's small size.... notice the untouched corndog and the almost finished salad he asked for instead...

We have strange conversations, courtesy of Henri...

C: Why did Henri get a bigger piece of bread?
Me: Why is it any of your business? Life is not fair. Is it fair we live in this nice house where you have your own bedroom while other kids live in garbage dumps that they have to sift through for their food?
C: No.
Me: If you are expecting life to be fair you will be very disappointed.
H: Then you will have to go to traffic school.

Huh?

Me: "Henri! you have to get dressed, I have an appointment this morning!"
H: "If I had no clothes on, I'd go to Catholic School"
background: H's cousins go to catholic school, which is part of the public school system here as well as French Immersion and they are beginning to have the elementary grades have uniforms like the upper grades which has been discussed around him since the youngest one is still in elementary school.

Valerie spent last night with Nana because I was getting us ready to head home the night before and she runs to Nana's bed and gets under the covers, "I go a bed!  Bye, Mommy!"  Um, no, you are coming home!  "Bye, mommy, see you later!"  So Nana let her sleep over last night.  B and Henri will be tonight.


We had two caterpillars visit us this week munching on my parsley

 

Looked up online and looks like they will make Swallowtail butterflies :)

Moving Logistics
So the DMV in WA finally got me another copy of my driver's abstract.  I took it completely sealed to the DMV and finally was able to get my driver's license with the abstract, WA driver's license (which they mail back to WA by the way) and my passport.  On my 3rd try. There was an Australian couple there trying to get a license and I wished them good luck, they seemed to be having similar difficulties.  We also were able to get our license plates now that we were through RIV export/import stuff and have Canadian insurance now that Paul had a driver's license (see previous post).  All in all there were several steps and except for my driver's license, it was all not that big a deal,  just seemed like a lot of steps.  Paul received his actual driver's license (to replace his temporary) this week.

I mailed in my immigration paperwork (I filled out every form I could find online and sent in a huge packet, about one inch thick, including pictures of us as a family) and we received word about 4 weeks later that Paul was approved to sponsor me based on the application. It will now take 8-10 months for immigration to even open my applications.  If all looks good, they'll give me approval, which means I can apply for Ontario health insurance.  I think we didn't realize this was going to take so long.  Once that happens, it will take another 8 months or so for them to verify everyone and give me my permanent residence status (we hope)  then once I've been here 3 years I can APPLY to be a citizen (who knows how long that will take).  Another issue is that immigration officials are currently threatening to strike because of wage disputes.

OHIP-Ontario insurance....  once we've been here 90 days (that's right, folks! Though in some provinces  you get healthcare right away, others require you to be here a certain length of time and other requirements-you don't just go over the border and automatically get covered!), we are eligible for universal health care-note this does not cover prescriptions or dental care.  Paul will be on OHIP in 2 weeks, the kids by the end of September.  They are all allowed based on Canadian citizenship and "landing" date to begin residency.  For the first 6 months (including 90 day waiting period)  they are limited to only leaving Canada for 30 days-a trip over the border to shop for an hour counts as a day BTW  (in other note, we found out if one is on unemployment, a trip over the border will mean you don't get paid for that day if it's a M-F workday-weekends are ok, but if you went over the border, you are deemed to be "unable to work" for the day).  Paul, however, is able to get an exception due to work. After about 2 weeks of conversations with HR, he was finally able to get a letter on letter head detailing his work situation and is now deemed a "mobile worker" and does not have to meet the travel criteria to be eligible for OHIP.  His work's now trying to figure out if he should be a US or Canadian employee now, but that's a whole 'nother conversation.  Once my immigration paperwork is approved in 8-10 months and set for verification, I can APPLY and start my 90 day waiting period and 6 month travel limit.

So, I guess that's most of the update.  Once schools starts, I'm sure I'll have more, esp as we are almost set as far as what Valerie will do next year.  Since our local elementary will be going to full-day Jr and Sr. Kindergarten next year, we thought we'd do what we did with the boys at 3 and send her 2 full days a week to a Montessori school or something with a learning program so she's not going from staying at home with mom all day every day to school everyday all day.  I'll update when we figure out what that will look like.

Recent cards

I promise I'll post what we've been up to soon, but while you are waiting...

Northridge Publishing recently cleared out their warehouse of back issues of Cards magazine, which is normally $19.99 an issue, I got a huge box (media mail!) of back issues for $1 each and I LOVE them. I've been using up a CTMH paper pack using the magazines for inspiration and doing some playing with the CTMH Cricut packages... below are scans of the magazine inspiration and my take on them...

 

Reorganization of craft room

My scrap/craft space wasn't working the way I'd unpacked it, so I did a reorganization last weekend.

This tower of Michael's cubes is right on a small strip of wall next to the door, in front of the closet, which doesn't seem to make sense.  In front of the closet?  Oh, yeah.  Top is ribbon, open shelf has a bin with all my Glimmer Mists and glue bottles and my silicone mat rolled up.  The drawer is Stickers, which are in folders by themes (finally ditched the binder I don't use stickers much these days).  Chipboard alphas are next.  It's divided into cubes and I had enough alphas missing letters that I organized them from a suggestion here into cubes by letter rather than font, so look for some mismatched titles from my scrapbooking!  I mostly use them and cover them with embossing powder, ink, paper, etc. so that the colors match my layout anyways, so I think this will work better for me.  Then is a drawer of Jute, Sew Easy stuff, baker's twine...thin stuff.  Then a drawer of paper ribbons like CM, etc.  Last bin ahs drawers of:  Bling, Brads that don't fit in my brad organizer, Adhesives like Tacky Tape, Envelopes, etc. and Misc which is leftover pieces from scrapbook kits, etc. that are fun to look through when I need some inspiration.

The right side of the closet stays open while scrapping (the left has altering and projects for "someday" as well as extra office supplies)
Bottom shelves have books-inspiration, instruction manuals, etc.  Then lower left above books has my wishblade and my laminator. The baskets contain left: Cuttlebug and embossing plates Right: Misc stuff too big to go elsewhere-grungeboard, silk flowers, wood panels, etc.  Top two have unopened colored cardstock, a bin of Washi tape, Boxes have rubber gloves for stamping, Tag maker and metal  outsides, crepe paper, quotes & journal spots.  Top has envelopes and in progress scrapbooking, very top is sewing stuff.

This is my stamping/cardmaking station (I could scrapbook here, but arranged items accordingly and this sturdy desk from the basement of my old, old house can handle stamping better than the lightweight one I'm using for scrapbooking.  This huge cassette tape holder was from a thrift store or library-got it at REstore for about $45, it's solid oak and heavy, it's about 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide.  In my old space it sat on a foundation ledge, but here I was scared to attach it hanging to the wall and it would be too tall for me to reach items at the top. I put lesser used items under the table and right in front of my stamp area are:
Top: Glues, paints, etc. too tall for the shelves
Top left to right:Brads in clear containers with little inserts that look like tic tac containers-Oriental Trading company bead holders
Paint
Flock and specialty glitters, distress paint and reinkers
Stickles
Paint supplies
Glitter
More paint supplies
Embossing powders and supplies
misc finishes, sticky stuff, pens
small inks across the way
large wood stamps
Above this table is a pendant lamp from IKEAto help eliminate shadows when working. Underneath is CTMH blocks and Power cord attached to light since this particular light has no on/off switch.

In between the stations....  CTMH stamps are in envelopes on the desk above the drawers in DVD holders from Container store.  SU! MArkers are between the CTMH stamps and the big shelves.  My PC tool turnaround is in front of the CTMH stamps.  In the drawers of the desk-top drawer is a divided drawer with stuff I use a lot but is too small for the turn around... adhesives, distressors, etc.  Middle drawer is portable straight trimmers, CM shape CCS, CM photo trimmer with blades in the drawer, bottom drawer has large foam stamp alphas, ATG and embossing tool, X adhesive and babywipes for clean up.
A cupholder/trashholder between the tables.  A cassette holder is attached to the wall for SU! inks.  The sideways wood magazine holder has chalks and pastels, etc. in it.  The CD holders from Container store are attached to the wall and contain SU! and misc stamps I've moved from their wood blocks and replaced with EZ foam to make them flat they are in empty CD holders from the office supply store.  On top of ink storage are two bins, one for circle stamps and one for some misc foam stamps.  On top of the big wood shelves are SU! Clear stamps in their DVD sized containers.
The table I'll use for scrapbooking.  I have a 12x24 grid mat that I leave out to help me place for 2 page layouts, pictures are in a basket, the pail has misc small stamps.  The big paper trimmer and Cricut are also over there.  Under the table are my Cricut cartridges and a big plastic container with drawers that holds punches. Predone layouts and borders are also under that table.  Cricut mats are between my rolling CM bag which holds extra albums and pages under the printer next to DH's desk for work, which has office supplies, etc. in it.  The cabinet doors on the wall hide the electrical panel.

Where Paul works

Futon for guests to have their own space when staying with us.  We put chair floor protectors on the wood floors for protection.  My MIL had some spongy stuff for under wood floors left over from their basement and I used them under the floor protectors to cushion the little spikes that are supposed to grab carpet.

Sorry to my grandpa, but I've commandeered the toy box he built the kids to hold paper in it because it's got wheels and is just the right size!  I can move it over to my area to work if I want and when guests stay, I can close the lid so they can put luggage on it.

It's right under my dry erase/magnet board of flowers (they were selling these tins at Staples full of office supplies for something like 25 cents)  There's also a CD player & speakers for tunes, the shelf for CDs was my grandmother's. I used it for Glimmer mist previously.  This is directly across from my stamp area.


That's the tour! 

So much going on!

A few more projects to post from when Paul was gone and I was keeping busy...

We needed a chair reglued but with the curve in it, a clamp wouldn't hold, so bungie cords were used...

I painted our breakfast nook chairs... we have a very beige and white house and I figured some color to match our dishes might be nice.  It was a PITA and it's not a very professional job, but they sit behind this big counter thing and you can't tell they aren't perfect and the kids love them, so there!  I used about a can of spray paint per and used Rustoleum no-prime paint.  They also show food and crap on them way less than the white they were before. I also put some scraper things on the bottoms of the legs so they scoot easier.

I also replaced this receptacle/light switch.  Should have taken a before.  The light switch was this 1/2 flat toggle thing and the receptacle's 3rd holes were both broken, so the entire time I was sawing and sanding to make that bench the plug would fall out of the outlet.  Now, the upstairs of our house is aluminum wiring. If you don't know, in the mid-70s builders decided aluminum was cheap and  accessable and why not wire houses with it?  Um, cause it corrodes and stuff faster.  Anyways, so it's not just changing out, you also have to make sure you buy the right parts-most of them at the store say AL with a cross through it, ie: don't use on Aluminum.  You have to find ones good for copper and aluminum.  Which means there was one option on each part and they were only in white (I was going to stick with Almond since it's in the garage and bound to get grubby, but whatever)  and they were not quite the most expensive (commercial grade) but close.  Then I sanded the connectors to take off the anti-corrosion coating from the aluminum wires, then I put some anti-corrosion goop and connected up the parts. 

I also made up this laundry room stand from 1/2 a closet shelf organizer that Henri's not using-he's in the smallest bedroom-9x9 and we put his dresser in his closet so he has more floor space and I put in some Creative Memory Pod organizers.  Each has a name on it so the kids can put away their own laundry and bring down their dirty clothes.  The top red one is for ironing, lol, like that's ever going to get done!

I'm also cooking more since I don't have my freezer of meals at the ready and cooking  healthier, trying to drop some of my "moving" weight from eating all the chocolate instead of moving it...  this was so easy. I took some frozen fish, thawed it out and pan fried in a little olive oil with garlic spread powder from Costco, yum!  The beans are from the farmer's market, cooked just a little, with tomatoes from the plant in the backyard, basil in the backyard and some cubes of mozerella. The longer you let it sit the better it tastes.

I also put together a device charging station.  Next to this bookcase (those are binder clips holding the chargers up the back of the bookcase so they aren't hanging out and don't fall behind the case)  is a plastic bin with drawers and more chargers, headphones, devices that will fit in the drawers.

I also built a deck stair.  Just one.  The deck is 14 inches off the ground and was quite a step for the  little ones.  At the third hardware store I visited, a guy drew plans for me and another cut the wood for me, I just assembled and attached to the deck. It was a little expensive but heavier wood than I was going to originally used and some of the work came with it, so whatever!

It is about 12 feet long, so I took a 6 inch by 2 inch by 12 foot board, they cut up a 6x2x 8foot board for me into supports-I attached these every 18 inches with deck screws.  Then I took what looked like 1/2 a ladder and attached the 12 foot board to the exposed footing posts of the deck. Then I attached another 6x2x 12 foot board, now it looked like a doll ladder attached sideways to the deck.  I then capped it off with a 12x2x 12 foot board (sorry no pictures!) to make the step, so there's a box basically attached to the side of my deck.  I then watersealed the deck and step.  Which is good because we've been having some thunderstorms at night. I also replaced the weather stripping around the backdoor and painted the exposed pine that was used when the window frames in the kids' rooms were rebuilt after moving them down 6 inches when we were residing.

Right before Paul got home, I got a call that my grandpa who had fallen the week before was having issues with his speech and I started worrying and debating going home.  I have been able to Skype with him and he seems to be getting stronger every day for which I am so, so grateful.  We just got here to Canada a month ago and Paul was due to arrive home after 10 days away.  Paul got home and I got to spend some time via Skype with some scrapbook friends at the retreat I normally go to every year.  It was good to see them, esp since I'll also miss the annual convention we go to together due to my parents coming to visit.  We decided we need to Skype and scrapbook more often :)

I tried out the scrapbook and card group that meets at the library for 2 hours once a month.  There were about 6 ladies and it's facilitated by a woman who is about my age who works at the library.  We share supplies and tips and ideas and it was fun, I'd definitely do it again. I also found out about a card-making class once a month and book clubs that are coming up.  Between that and some extra time due to Paul being home, I made a few cards up from a paper pack that needed to be finished off... not enough 12x12 paper left to make scrapbook pages, but there was one whole paper and a 6x6 paper pack pad... Valerie helped me do the finishing touches...

 

So on to my current moving to Canada issue.  Trying to get a driver's license.  The website states that I just need to exchange my US license and bring proof of 2 years of experience as well as something to prove my address and I can get an Ontario Driver's license!  This is necessary so I can get insurance (3 x as expensive because the minimums are $1million) so we can register the car in Ontario.  We've successfully imported the car through RIV program (Registrar of Imported Vehicles), registering is the next step and must be done sooner than later.

 

So I ordered my driver's abstract before I left WA so I could get insurance, etc.  My license was issued 3 years ago, so should be no issue there for driving experience.  I printed out what I got online from WA DMV.  Ontario won't take it.  It must be mailed to you or gotten directly from DMV.  I leave in tears (it had been kind of a frustrating week with Paul gone and a small bout of homesickness). I call Paul and tell him to go into the DMV while he's in WA and get one. Luckily he also keeps his receipt because Ontario driver's licensing asks for it (remember their website says NOTHING about even needing an abstract)  I show them the one I brought last week. She holds them side by side the ONLY difference is the seal is slightly different color due to my printer. She takes them to her supervisor side by side. Still won't accept it, but they'll take Paul's with the receipt. The kicker? I take the kids out to the car and am about to send one in with the utility bill I took out with me when he arrives with his temporary license.  "How did you get the address on it without the utility bill?" I ask.  "Oh, they just took my word for it."  Unbelievable.  So if I ever get mine mailed to me from DMV, you better believe I'm bringing it in a sealed envelope and praying I can keep my trap shut about how annoying this is.  And sitting there until they give me a license. 

 

Now we can get insurance (we still have been advised to keep our WA policy until I get ON license) and get our plates this week.

 

 

Entry Way cabinet

We have a really nice, big entry way and I love that the garage entrance, front and back doors all lead to it. In our old house we had FOUR entrances to the house, all with shoes at them. Took forever to find shoes in the morning!

I wanted something that we could use to charge our cell phones on by the door (we're lucky enough to have an outlet in the entry way) but also started thinking it may be nice to have a bench there since the only place to sit to put shoes on is the stairs leading up to the living room.  So was trying to decide between a console table or a bench.


I found this at Canadian Tire for about $60-$70. It's ok, but it is pressboard, needs assembly, etc. I figured I could put a drawer/basket in the smaller compartment for charging cell phones in.

Then I happened upon Goodwill when I went up north. I was considering another piece when this came in to the store...  The thing is SIX FEET LONG thank goodness I didn't have the kids in the car! It's also solid wood (red mohagany color according to the stains at the store).

 

it was too tall for a bench, but was solid wood and only had a small flaw in the corner...

 

So I loaded it up and took it home. I took the feet off, did some fancy fixing to clean up the flaw and put some gel stain on it because it had some small stain flaws on top, plus, to take the feet off I put it directly on the garage floor and scratched it up rather than putting it on a moving blanket  like I had an inkling to do :(.  I got the gel stain in red mohagany and only did the sides and top-the front still looked good.  A few tips. The gel stain when it says "let sit 3 minutes and wipe off" is serious.  The kids distracted me and I had to step away longer on the sides and it was streaky and not the even, glossy beautiful tone on top.  However, because it was still sort of wet, I was able to take a scratchy kitchen sponge, wet it and scrub off the stain and try again and it ended up alright.

I used some of the wood from the front of the leg that had an angled edge and made a patch for the part I cut out of the front where it was splintered off.  Then used red mohagany wood putty (both from Minwax so they match) to fill in the gaps since I pretty much had just a jigsaw to try to piece in the wood.

This is how it turned out. We are going to look for some cushions for the top of the bench today. Hopefully a 2x6 foot or two 2x3 foot :)

Can you even see the flaw?

How about now?

I drilled a hole in the back for a power strip for charging cell phones, etc.  I may need to make the cut out in the back of the drawer a little bigger so the drawer can roll in and out easier as the cord really needs to be in the space that's behind the bench where there's a gap due to large molding... there's not much space behind the drawers to store it.  Luckily the drawer slides are on the sides, so I can cut larger and not worry about the slide being affected.

Otherwise, we're enjoying the shade the tree backing to our yard offers though we're getting a lot of wildlife. The misquitos are thick, I've seen 3 snakes, a bunny, tons of colorful birds (and get to listen to them!)  a blue fuzzy spider (ok, tons of spiders, but my husband was right... now that we're in the house after it being empty for 2 months, they seemed to have moved on. I cleaned out our storage area under the entry way and only saw ONE in the entire time I was down there).

This week I got the master closet and storage are organized, moved the futon from Carter's room down to our office so guests can have their own space, mowed the grass in 90+ temperatures.  Tonight is the start of our small town's Summer fest with a kick off at the farmer's market.  The farmer's market is only 5 blocks away and every Thursday night, we just haven't seemed to make it over yet, so I'm hoping tonight's the night to check it out.  After cushion shopping I really need to do the cleaning though... floors, bathrooms, etc.  I can only seem to do projects OR keeping stuff cleaned, not both, lol!

Busy in the garden

I have a nice side garden that leads from the front yard to the backyard, but after I cleaned it out it was a little bare...

2 days and way too much money later (they are all perennials, it's an investment!).....

my $5 hanging baskets...

Final view of the old house

I finally got a chance now that we are unpacked to edit, organize and upload photos for printing and found some I took on the last day in our old house.