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Ugh
First, it was Abby. Then Jake. And after that, Stephen succumbed to it. Now? I'm sick too. Ugh.
But, on the up side, Abby seems to be getting better. Finally.
$1,000!!
You may or may not know that I take part in a program called Pay Per Post whereby bloggers (like me) get paid to write about the things we love. The way it works is that you visit their site, register, and start simply blogging. Each blog advertising that you write about (Pay Per Post call these opportunities) pays a minimum of $5, but some can range much higher.
In fact, Pay Per Post are now launching a new promotion called 1K Tuesday. The ‘1K’ means $1,000 of course, and the ‘Tuesday’, well, that’s fairly self-explanatory! What it means though is that every Tuesday until the end of this month, Pay Per Post will be releasing at least one $1,000 opportunity. Imagine being paid $1,000 American dollars to write one blog entry! Pay Per Post won’t tell us exactly when this amazing opportunity will be displayed on their website. This gives every blogger equal chance of getting it.
And before you sceptics pipe up, I can tell you that Pay Per Post has proven to be a reputable website who have paid me everything they’ve promised. So get registered (by clicking on the banner at the top of this page, of course) and get ready to receive $1,000!
…unless I beat you to it!
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Poor us!
What a week. Oh man, what a week!! Starting Monday, sickness entered this house and attacked Abby. She coughed and sneezed and was generally miserable. Stephen and Jake soon followed (moaning as only boys can) and I quickly brought up the rear. We've gone through loads of tissues and we each have a red-tipped nose to prove it.
Stephen has missed two shifts at work and I have missed one and a meeting.
Although we are all still coughing and wiping our noses, we finally feel like we're on the upside of this most aggressive bug. Abby's chest still rattles and Jake's still coughing, but they are so much easier to live with and care for than they were a day or two ago.
Sarah, Stephen's middle daughter, and her fiance arrive her from Edmonton tomorrow. We're all looking forward to seeing them again. We just hope that we won't be infecting them with anything!
A big collection
I have a huge CD collection. I started it when I got my first job (at KFC). I was making money and I couldn’t think of anything better to spend it on. I joined music clubs and even ordered CDs that I didn’t really want. It’s amazing but when I’m faced with a deal like get “12 CDs for a penny as long as you buy 12 more over the next 3 years at regular price”, well, I go all gaga and pick 12 CDs, whether they’re good or not.
What’s frightening, really, is that these CDs have been shipped to and from England! Oh, the expense!
Anyway, it would be interesting to catalogue them all and come up some kind of value for this massive collection. Then again, maybe the final figure would scare the daylights out of me.
So I’ve decided to start entering my collection at iTaggit. Whether you’ve got a CD collection like mine, a stamp collection, or even a collection of antique jade birds, iTaggit offer a great (and free!) service to help you organize your belongings. They even have a search facility through Amazon so that the image and description of your favorite CD is automatically updated. Or, for more unique items, upload your own image from your computer. Then just add your own monetary value to the item or use the Amazon price. Easy!
This KISS collection is amazing! It must have cost this guy a fortune! Being a KISS fan myself, I’m slightly green with envy.
I’ll post the link to my list once I have a few items listed, then you can all laugh at my musical taste! Hey, I’m nothing if I’m not eclectic!
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Mummy Quiz
1. How long have you been a mom?
I became a Mum on March 29, 2004, the day Jake was born. Although, I really felt like a Mum from the moment I knew I was pregnant. I became a Mum again on November 20th of 2006, the day Abby was born. And I've been a step-Mum since August 24th of 2001.
2. How many children call you Mommy?
Two, Jake and Abby. And I get the very occasional 'Mummy Nik' from Ruth.
3. Girl? Boy? Both?
One of each, and 3 step-daughters.
4. Did you know what you were having?
Yes, we found out at the 20-week scan for both of them. For Jake, I absolutely needed to know. For Abby, I started the pregnancy by fooling myself into thinking that I wanted it to be a surprise. Obviously, once given the opportunity to find out, I simply couldn't refuse.
5. How old were you when you became a mom?
I was 31.
6. How long were you in labor?
For Jake, about 17 hours. It started with my waters breaking at about 7am on Sunday (contractions started later) and ended at 4:08am on Monday. For Abby, about 4 hours. Again, my waters broke first thing in the morning, contractions started around 10:30am and she was born at 2:48pm. An hour after arriving at the hospital!
7. What’s your favorite thing about being a mom?
The cuddles! I couldn't live without them. Such warm and perfect little bodies.
8. What’s your least favorite thing?
Poo, poo, and more poo! Does it ever end?!
9. Do you want more kids?
No. We're good at 2. I want to enjoy my kids as they grow up and share loads of experiences with them. Looking after a baby is a fulltime job and it isn't always enjoyable!
10. Do you plan on having more soon?
Nope.
12. How many times have you been peed on?
Once by Jake and once by Abby. Oh and many leaky nappies, of course.
13. Barfed on?
Oh yes! One notable occasion was when H & W were visiting us from England. Jake was feeling under the weather. We sat down to eat our BBQ'd burgers and hotdogs, and Jake let his milk go all over it me. In my shirt, in my bra! In my hair!! Yuck!
14. Is your child named after anyone?
Jake: no, we just both liked it. Abby: not named after anyone, but we got the idea from the character 'Abby Lockheart' on ER.
15. How did you come up with their name(s):
Jake: we saw it in a book of baby names. Abby: see previous question.
16. When your child gets in trouble, who is the bad guy?
I am. Daddy's a big softie. 
17. And who is the good guy?
No, seriously though, we both do our fair share of teaching them and disciplining them. But Daddy is still a big sortie.
18. What is the longest you have been away from your children?
A few hours. I can't take being away any longer than that. I'm a very, ummm, paranoid and clingy Mum.
19. Bedtime routine?
Jake, at 3 years of age, will often go to bed between 8 and 9. He gets a drink, gets into bed, I kiss his forehead and tell him that I love him. Abby is still too young for a proper routine (4 months old), but we're getting there.
20. Are your toes painted?
Yes, but they're flaking badly. I'm blushing.
21. Last movie you saw in the theatre?
Ummm... no idea. It was way too long ago. Stephen really misses going to the movies. We'll really have to do that soon.
22. One thing you will not give up just because you’re a mom?
My computer, the internet. Pretty sad, really.
24. One thing you did give up now that you’re a mom:
F1. I found it very hard to maintain my interest when I was too tired to get up to watch the race. My interest is starting again this season though.
25. Best mom perk:
I now have a good reason for my loose belly.
26. Snack that you sneak bites of from your child:
Banana, yoghurt, pizza
27. When the kids are napping, you are:
On the computer, working my fingers to the bone.
28. Where are your children now?
Abby is asleep and Jake is watching Big Comfy Couch (Loonette's wearing a tutu??)
29. Favorite place to buy maternity clothes?
Anywhere cheap. They're so expensive! Wal-Mart, probably.
30. If I could do it over, I’d do this differently:
I can't think of anything at the moment. I had wonderful pregnancies, successful and enjoyable deliveries and these two are my little angels. What more could I ask for?
I got this questionnaire from this lovely website.
Web Awards
As a blogger – in fact, a blogger than has been writing consistently for almost 4 years – I would like nothing more than to receive a bit of recognition for all my hard work. I’ve kept this blog going for my own benefit and for the benefit of my children, who, I hope, will love to read it when they are older. But wouldn’t it be wonderful to see “Nicola’s Baby Blog” up in lights?!
Alas, I’m pretty sure I haven’t been nominated at the web awards at BloggersChoiceAwards.com. But if I were to be nominated (hint, hint), which category would you list me under? Hottest Mommy Blogger? Hmmm. Perhaps! Best Parenting Blog? Well, a bit more probable, I suppose.
But I will admit that I have just visited the web awards website and nominated this here fabulous blog under the category of Best Parenting Blog. If I can get just one more vote, just ONE MORE, it’ll make all my years of writing well worth it. So please click on the image to the right and vote for me.
Anyone can vote and anyone can nominate a blog. So if there’s a blog that you like reading or even a blog that you are writing yourself, go to BloggersChoiceAwards.com and get voting. The winner will be announced at PostieCon 2007 on June 7th in Orlando, Florida.
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Snow, Visitors, Turkey
What I can't figure out is why, oh why, is it snowing a week into April??! Overnight and into the morning, we've received a couple of inches of snow. Overnight temperatures were around minus 15C and the temperature now is just above zero. It's April, for goodness sakes! This is madness!
The only thing that makes this even slightly OK is that with above zero temperatures, the snow will melt quickly. Phew!
We have Sarah, Stephen's middle daughter, staying with us right now. It's really nice to have her here. We've missed her a lot and we worry about her being so far away. She effectively moved out of our house and our protection and into an apartment 3,000 miles away. So it's nice to have her back, even if just briefly. And hey, it's an extra pair of hands to hold Abby!!
This visit will be followed closely by a visit from Sarah's older sister, Hannah. She arrives from England on Friday the 13th.
In June, we'll be accomodating Helen and Wayne. And in August, Ruth's friend Kayleigh will be stopping by for 2 weeks. As always, we have a busy and bustling house.
On Sunday, we're heading to Montreal for a Easter turkey dinner at my Mum's. Yummm... We're looking forward to that. Let's hope that the little 'uns behave themselves.
Furry Horoscopes
I’m not a huge believer in horoscopes, but every once in a while, I sneak a peak to see what’s being said. I am a Scorpio, born November 9th, so, this is today’s forecast:
“The stars say to take things at a slower pace; otherwise, you might overlook a key opportunity in your desire to move onward and upward. Do something different for a change: This time, let people come to you.”
See? This is why I rarely look for my horoscope: I can never understand what they mean! Too vague! “Slower pace”: OK, but I tend to stay home with the kiddies. How much slower should I get? And I’m to let people come to me instead of the other way around. Nah, I can’t relate that to my life.
But I’ve also found a pet horoscope site! Can you believe it? Now I wish that I had a pet! They have dog horoscopes, cat horoscopes and monthly horoscopes where they can tell you what kind of personality your furry little friend has because of the date he was born.
So I wracked my brain to try to think of a pet and I’ve come up with my brother’s dog, Reilly. He (the dog, not my brother) was born in early November of last year, I believe. Also a Scorpio! His monthly horoscope says:
This month your pets are a little charmer. They will almost seem like they are flirting with you and everyone they come in contact with. If you are thinking of breeding, this would be a good time. Their flashing eyes will make you give them anything they want. You will not be able to refuse anything they beg for – believe me - you won’t be able to say no.
Yeah, sounds like Reilly, who certainly is a little charmer.
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"The Departed"
Last night, Stephen, Sarah and I watched The Departed. It has an allstar cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, Ray Winstone. A big list of impressive names. We'd heard a lot about this movie, as it won the Academy Award for Best Director, Martin Scorcese.
But was it good? Yeah. I liked it. The story was fast-paced and interesting. It told of two guys (one played by DiCaprio and one by Damon). One was a cop and worked undercover within the mob, while the other was a cop solely to work as an informant for the mob. They are each looking for the 'rat' and, of course, elude each other until the very end.
The mob boss, played by Nicholson, was great. As always, Jack Nicholson was a star.
And Leo? As cute as ever! 
My only complaint about the movie was that it was too long. I don't even know how long it was, but I finally got to bed at 1:15am! Too late for me.
Do I recommend it? Yes, I do. Good movie, fast-paced, great acting. Just make sure you've set aside 2+ hours for it.
Celeb Contest
Isn’t this weird? Weird, but exciting, nonetheless. Imagine having two celebrities come over to your house to perform your least favorite chore! As the World Turns, a CBS soap opera, has a contest going where the winner gets just that. Brad and Katie, played by Austin Peck and Terri Colombino respectively, will come to your house, hand you a cheque for $5,000 and do something you hate doing.
Click here to enter the contest on the CBS website and prepare to put your feet up and watch two perfectly-groomed TV stars scrub your floors!
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