instagrm monday - touch a truck

I volunteer a lot and I never seem to be in for just a little bit. I always end up being some larger size piece of the puzzle. Volunteering for me is important. I have said many times that I don't have an unlimited bank account to financially support all the causes that are dear to my heart, but I do have skills that I can put to their good use. And for me because I can, I feel I should.

I have loved all of my adventures in volunteering. They usually involve people who are already very important to me like my girls ML and JB, Mike's family and of course all my Jersey Girls. I help raise thousands of dollars per year for our school and the Canadian Cancer Society and I am incredibly proud of that. Incredibly proud of the fun people I get to work with to accomplish that. Volunteering has also introduced me to lots of new fun people that I probably wouldn't have the opportunity to meet otherwise. So to circle the wagons back around...... volunteering, for me, is a good thing.

This weekend was something special. It was the third Touch a Truck that this committee that I am a part of has put together and leading up to Saturday I had a really good feeling about it. Here's the thing about Touch a Truck, it's a tremendous amount of work to put together especially heading into the last few weeks and even still you have no idea, no control over what's going to happen.Trucks break down, drivers have to take out an unexpected load or they're caught somewhere in the states or in another province. It's nerve wracking. So while I had a good feeling going into it that doesn't mean I wasn't a knot of anxiety Saturday morning as we hurried trying to get everyone into place.

Then all of the sudden it's 10am and the gates are open and it was just a steady stream of people coming in all day. I snapped this picture about 30 minutes after we opened for the day and look at all the people already. I am so proud of the people I get to work with on this project from the companies and drivers who bring such fun and enthusiasm to this event and of course the organizing committee who are just rock stars in addition to being super fun to be around. I am so lucky that I get to be a part of all of this.The best part though...... I was right to feel good going into this year's event. We nearly doubled what we brought in last year. Double. I still can't believe it. 

sunday randoms

Well Friday and Saturday were just a whirlwind! Today I did as little as possible. After all the sun and walking and worrying I did I'd earned it.

Abby did drag me out of bed early to so I could help her make breakfast for Mike. We hadn't done groceries yet and the week before was a fly by the seat of your pants sort of grocery trip, so it was slim pickin's. We did manage scrambled eggs and toast though, so it wasn't a total wash.

The kids of course had cards for Mike. Abby gave him some coupons. He put the Dad's choice one to work right away and got her to clean the living room, then I didn't feel so bad about napping this afternoon.

Yep, I napped while he cleaned up the kitchen and kept an eye on the kids. He knows I've been working my tail off this past week to get everything organized for Touch a Truck, not to mention he's just awesome.

Well it's all over now. Abby has the okay to go back to running and riding and gym class. And thus concludes our first broken bone experience. Her toe is much better as well. She still has some pain if she puts too much weight on that toe, but otherwise she's good.

And we are down to days until The Abster and I walk all night in the Relay for Life. We are within $70 of our goal. Please consider donating.

instagram monday - puzzled

Every now and then we pull out a puzzle and spread it across the coffee table. I thought with so much that Abby can't so this might be a nice distraction, but here's how it really goes.... the kids declare it too hard once we're done attempting to piece the border together and then Grandma Sandi and I spend days trying to piece the rest of the thing together. The kids will circle back around every now and then trying to find  piece that will fit, but the thrill of the hunt is over pretty quickly. Past experience tells me that they'll be great helpers when there are a couple of dozen pieces left. Until then this Mama will likely ignore the laundry until it's done.

sunday randoms

Well I made it through another solo parenting weekend. They aren't all that rough anymore now that the kids are capable of making their own breakfast and such. It was kind of lazy weekend. Abby is still on restriction so no bike riding or running around with her friends. Instead we read some, plugged away at the puzzle on the coffee table and just prepared for the crazy week coming up.

I did drag them out to Ribilicious to do some promoting of Touch a Truck handing out colouring pages. Which Maya actually did with a perfect stranger even. Who is this kid?

Since it seemed to be shocking everyone this weekend I feel I should be upfront with you my dear bloggy friends. I do not like ribs. There I said it. I love real deal bbq, give me some pulled pork or brisket, but you can have the ribs thanks. I didn't realize it was such a big deal until a billion people all said... what do you mean you don't like ribs? I just don't. The flavour is lovely, but the meat bone ratio is way way off for my liking. Just can't do it. We can still be friends right?

Well we managed to finish up season one of Sons of Anarchy and despite having to watch some of it through my fingers I am totally addicted. I'm also a little bit in love with Opie. Now we're 22 on the list for season two and I'd like to tell all those public library users to hurry up already! I need to know what happens!! On a brighter note season two of the American version of Shameless did come in, so there's that. Love love love that show too!

Only 12 days left... oh my gosh is that even right???......... Before the Abster and I walk in the Relay for Life and we are still looking for pledges. We are about a third of the way to our personal goal and every little bit will help us get there. Please consider donating.

and I thought i looked good

It's been a heck of a week. The list of medical problems in our extended family is as long as my arm right now. Then there is work and laundry and house work and the kids and project deadlines... you know the usual life stuff. I like to think I manage it all pretty well, but sometimes it all gets to be a bit much and then you end up having conversations like this....

Abby: Mom, are you okay?
Me: I am. Yeah. Why?
Abby: Well you look a little stretched.
Me: Huh?
Abby: Stretched. Oh wait, haha, I mean stressed. You look a little stressed. Haha

tat

Well it's getting to that point. Touch a Truck is just over a week away so if you're looking for me you're likely to find me hunched over my laptop tapping out a gazillion emails. I'm doing this of course with my fingers crossed. Touch a Truck takes a lot of talking and texting and emailing to put it all together. People say they're going to be there, but you just never know what's going to happen. Trucks break down, things come up... it's the nature of the trucking business. So you talk and text and email a gazillion people and then pray that enough of them actually do show up to put together a half decent show.

The thing I love the most about Touch a Truck is how many volunteers it takes to put it all together. Over the past four years we developed some really fantastic relationships with business that just can't wait to be a part of the show. Every single truck is there because some really terrific company thought this was a worthy enough event to volunteer their resources too. And that is pretty amazing.

poor abby

Abby was only home from school for about 10 minutes when she tripped over my shoes. I didn't see her fall I was in the kitchen answering some email and she fell by the back door. I definitely heard her and knew she had gone down hard and then she started to scream. You know that scream I'm talking about. The one that makes your stomach drop to your knees when it's coming out of your kid. So I run to the back door, she's in a heap on the floor cradling her hand. Yes, the same hand. The broken thumb hand. My stomach drops further.

Is it your thumb? Did you hit your thumb? I'm asking her, but she is borderline hysterical. I manage to get her calm enough to tell and show me that her thumb is okay, but, she says, my toe really hurts. I peel off her sock and oh my gosh. My stomach could drop no further. The toenail on her big toe had been more or less completely ripped up and bent back over her toe. Abby lost her ever loving mind when she saw it.

Mike was in the yard cutting the grass and I went out to get him at a dead run leaving poor Abby screaming by herself in the house. I was almost at Mike, close enough to touch him when I fell. My foot went into a sinkhole and I went down hard on my stomach. I had already put my hand out to touch Mike and I hit him on the way down. He turns to find me in a heap at his feet. He's making sure I'm okay and I'm saying not me Abby. Go see Abby. Who's still screaming.

We ended up calling TeleHealth because we weren't quite sure what to do. She was in a tremendous amount of pain and then there was the blood, not a lot, but enough given the circumstances. TeleHealth advised skipping the hospital and soaking her foot in cold water to soften the nail up enough to trim it then coat it with polysporin and wrap her toe in gauze. By the time we got off the phone with the very helpful nurse Abby was suffering from shock. She had the shakes and was freezing. So we wrapped her in blankets and stuck her foot in some cool water and then we called in ML.

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love that chick. I called her up and told her what was going on. She had just been past my house, but that didn't stop her from turning around and coming right back. She took a look at Abby's toe and agreed with the TeleHealth nurse's recommendations and the best part, she helped Mike with the nail removal. I knew I wasn't going to be able to do it. The nurse on the phone had instructed me to get a cold wet cloth and apply pressure to her toe and it was all I could do to do that. I was so afraid to hurt her even further.

The nail removal went about as well as one would expect it to go. There was some discomfort, but it was over fairly quickly. She was still shaky, weepy and cold so I kept her bundled up with her foot elevated. Even still it was a long rough evening. Abby told me several times that she'd much rather have the broken thumb than the toe thing.... lucky girl has both now. By bedtime we had her toe polysporined, gauzed, bandaged and the advil had kicked in. She's not walking very well, but I have my fingers crossed that she'll be able to sleep okay.

Just never a dull moment around here.