Left Coast Mama » Quinlan

Year of the Dragon {Sponsored and Contest}

Gwen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:57:03 +0000

I am not sure if you know this but Aidan and Quinlan will try almost anything as long as it is presented to them on a chopstick. This year they were not only excited about having a great meal, but also about making a great New Year’s celebration. That it is the year of the dragon just makes this new year even more special to them.

Aidan decided that this year we need to kick up our celebrations a bit. A chance to make decorations and party are always a good idea to our boys. I think, why not? We should celebrate as much as we can in this life. So the 23rd January was the beginning of the lunar new year and we went skating with Aidan’s beaver troop. We didn’t have time for our New Year’s feast so we put it off for a little later in the week. We made lanterns and dragons and ordered our wonton soup, spring rolls, noodles, and ginger beef.

Here in Vancouver we have a meeting of Chinese New Year and Robbie Burns day with something we like to call Gung Hagis Fat Choy. I like that it is a big multicultural soup. I want Aidan and Quinlan to be part of that big multicultural soup. I want them not only to be willing to try new foods, but speak new languages and learn about different cultures.

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I am a big fan of anything that makes dinner time easier, especially if it gets my boys to try something different. I am not adverse to having a little bit of dip to help my children eat what is healthier. I make oven baked breaded chicken that is much healthier than chicken nuggets and my boys gobble them up with a small bit of VH Sweet and Sour Sauce.

I was given some Garlic Hoisin Sauce and some Garlic Rib Sauce as well as some Sweet and Sour Sauce. I like the flavours and while I wouldn’t use the Hoisin sauce too often because of the sodium content, to make an occasional dinner it is fine. I used the rib sauce on a pot roast and it was fantastic. The vegetables took on the flavour of the garlic sauce and the roast was nice and tender. I am looking forward to making a few of the recipes from the VH site, especially the Orange Sesame Brochettes and the Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken.

As a part of this blog tour one of my readers will win a VH package of Sauces and Steamers. All you need to do is comment on this post what sauce or steamer you would like to try. Comments must be received by 8 February 2012. I will email the winner for details and the coupons will be mailed to you.

Disclosure – I am participating in the VH Chinese New Year Celebration program by Mom Central Canada on behalf of VH. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Farewell 2011, Hello 2012

Gwen — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 07:14:30 +0000

Like the last few years December has gotten away from me. I was so busy writing Advent letters and planning for surprises and trying to get something that might actually be a surprise for Anthony that it left me with little other time to write. Of course we have also had two bouts of intestinal illness go through the family as well.

Christmas was wonderful in many different ways. The best was Quinlan’s reaction to Christmas morning. He got up pretty early but we managed to keep him in our room for a few minutes so we could get upstairs with him and give the surprise guest a few seconds to get up as well. When the boys saw Grandpa sitting at the dining room table they were thrilled. When Quinlan saw the cookie that Santa took a big bit out of he was absolutely flabbergasted. I tell you I wish I had been awake enough to have my camera set up for his reaction as it was classic. He had the biggest round eyes and open mouth, and the hand to the cheek as he exclaimed “Santa ate the cookie!” Once Quinlan saw the presents under the tree there was absolutely no turning back. It was all we could do to open our own presents. I have never seen anyone open presents so fast in all my life. He was so excited that he even “helped” Aidan with the opening of Aidan’s presents.

Having Grandpa John come to stay for 5 days was fun, but went really quickly. We were able to have a small family get together on the 27th, and I am so glad we decided to have the turkey then and not on Christmas day.

There have been a lot of great things about 2011. The start of preschool for Quinlan has been a highlight. He loves school, and ballet and swimming. Aidan is growing up so very much. He is getting so grown up and he is so interested in learning about everything. It was especially acute during our road trip. Aidan was so interested in figuring out about everything. He found out about so many of the parks and their geological features. He got to look at the night sky and actually see stars.

This new year I am hoping to keep up with all the boys activities including theatre, swimming, skating, piano and ballet. I am also hoping to keep up with writing and photography for me. We want to keep up with our geocaching and keep going to events like the few that we took in this year. The Geo-monster ball and the best of the bad events were fantastic and really helped to give us the best caching year ever.

In 2012 I am going to try to get to Blogher in NY again. I won a conference ticket and as soon as I get the confirmation I plan to figure out the rest like hotel and airfare. I also want us to take the boys camping this year, it is about time we used the tent.

Those are my goals, simple and easy. No worries about losing weight or being a better person. I like who I am and I think that I will be much happier if I stop trying to change myself. All I want is to be happy.

© 2011 Left Coast Mama | Permalink | One comment
Related: Aidan, family, Family Time, goals, Gwen, Holidays, hope, My Boys, New Year, Quinlan.

Do You Believe in Santa? I do.

Gwen — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 06:54:24 +0000

When I was growing up we were poor. I look back now and I am not sure how my mother and father managed as well as they did. I think for the most part my brothers my sister and I did not notice how poor we were. We had clothes and we never went hungry. My parents never let us know, until much later, how close we came to losing the house. If there were nights when we had pancakes many days in a row we didn’t notice or for that matter care. Pancakes for dinner was a treat. I understand why we had regular milk mixed with powdered milk.

One year when my dad lost his job and my mother was at that point still home with us, things must have been quite bad. I didn’t know how bad things must have been. I remember being asked to help out a family at school. All classes brought all kinds of canned food for this family and we did as well. What I didn’t realize and neither did my parents that the family they were supporting was us. I remember the surprise and I admit a little excitement when there was a knock on the door. Our pantry, well the shelves on the stairs going down to the basement was filled to over flowing.

I am not sure if it was the same year, or another when there were three deliveries to our door. One was anonymous where someone rang and ran. I still remember that there was a huge Christmas colouring book that kept us well occupied. That year there was also a visit from a Santa’s helper in a Santa suit bringing wrapped presents for all of us. The most surprising was when the doorbell rang and Papa Smurf was at the door helping out Santa.

When we were better situated we were happy to help out other anonymous families who were in the same situation at Christmastime. Being a helper to Santa was a big part of feeling good about Christmas for our family. Even when we didn’t have much, we always found a way to help others. I am not saying this to brag, but it helped us to feel less guilty about having things when we knew there were other people in bad situations.

My back story is part of the reason I want so badly to get Aidan and Quinlan to understand that since we are in a better situation that we need to help as many people as we can. Donating to the food bank with money and canned goods is our biggest focus for the season. There are so many families who are not making it in BC, especially in the lower mainland. I want them to see that we are in a very good situation and it would be really good to help other people. Aidan really gets it. He has a philanthropic plan for the Aidan company already. Quinlan is starting to get it and by the time he is Aidan’s age he really will as well.

My hope is that by helping others my boys will grow up to be empathetic and enlightened men. That they will not look down on people for their monetary situations. That they will be generous human beings. I think we are on the right track.

Dear Aidan and Quinlan

Gwen — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:55:00 +0000

Today was mostly lovely. I am so glad that my two boys are such polite little boys. I am glad that you have fun playing outside. I love that you both have a huge imagination. I love that Quinlan, you love to swing as high as you can and pretend you are a bird. Aidan I love that you pretend to be Santa or the reindeer.

Aidan I know you will have a good time with your father at the Canucks game. I am sure you will be excited and happy to be at your first big hockey game!

Quinlan I was very happy to have dinner with you. I love how much you love to be out with me. It is so cute to hear you ask so politely for edamame.

I am so happy that I have two boys who are so generous. It was fun going through your piggy banks to get some money to give to the food bank. It makes me feel wonderful to have to boys who think so much about other people.

Aidan and Quinlan, I love you both so much.

Love and Kisses,

Gwen

Guess What We Did Today

Gwen — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 04:09:20 +0000

For weeks now Quinlan has been afraid of Santa Claus. He said he did not like his moustache at all. He did not like that Santa came into the house down the chimney. He was not sure about this Santa person at all, and he seemed to want to be as bad as possible so Santa would not come. Today that all changed. After preschool today we went to Oakridge to do some playing in the pit and a few walk bys of Santa Claus. The first walk by Quinlan said he seemed like a nice Santa and his beard and moustache were . . . ok. After the second walk by he thought that yes he was a nice Santa and maybe he might like to go see Santa. After playing a little longer Quinlan decided that it would be nice to visit Santa before we went home for a nap. Quinlan was very brave and after a couple of minutes he was on Santa’s lap and talking about eating vegetables and what he wanted for Christmas. This afternoon after picking up Aidan from school we were able to get the picture.

Ho, Ho, Ho

Best Day Ever According to the Boys

Gwen — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:15:55 +0000

Today we had the best breakfast ever, french toast and fruit smoothies. Then we got dressed and headed out into the chill air and sunshine to the Grey Cup festival. So much fun to see the Olympic Cauldron lit, and Bobs and Lolo. Two footballs and a microphone each and some tap dancing and you have just about the perfect day.

Seconds after the Olymic cauldron was lit.

Having lots of fun . . .

You are never alone . . .

Jump in, Action packed!

Muscles, Muscles you're the best . . .

Bobs and Lolo

Cindy Seahorse

Aidan and Quinlan with Bobs and Lolo

Touchdown!

Aidan Floyd here reporting for Global BC . . .

© 2011 Left Coast Mama | Permalink | One comment
Related: Aidan, Family Time, My Boys, outings, Photography, Pictures, Quinlan, Vancouver.

A Blank Page

Gwen — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 05:48:56 +0000

Right now I am looking at a blank page. I am looking at blank page and wondering how I keep going for NaBlaPoMo. I need to write, and I like to write, but today has been a day and a half. Anthony is crazy busy at work. Quinlan and Aidan have school in two very different places at almost the same start time. Quinlan had his vaccine study appointment for a blood draw and flu shot. Our fridge was replaced today and the delivery window was 5 hours long. Anthony needed to come home for a bit because I forgot about the vaccine study appointment and because he couldn’t be home for long (see crazy busy at work) I had to get Aidan from school early.

Quinlan and the blood draw and flu vaccine. Well, there were lots of tears. Tears for the thought of loosing blood. Tears because the nurse put numbing cream and a bandage over the numbing cream. Tears when the bandage was taken off. Tears when the blood was drawn. Tears when the vaccine was given. More tears about 5 minutes later and the whole car ride home.

Aidan was quite happy to be home. He was able to make a really cool set of drawings for his Glow Book and make it look like a car was going down a road. I feel a little guilty that we needed to take him out of school so we could get our new fridge delivered, but sometimes we have to do what we have to do. I think that is my new mantra, sometimes we do what we need to do and forget about the guilt. Maybe that should be a new mantra for a lot of us.

CBC Food Bank Day Challenge

Gwen — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:24:29 +0000

A week from Friday CBC has its annual food bank day where people around the province give generously to the food banks of the province. Every year since Aidan was 8 months old we have gone to the food bank day for part of the day. It feels like the real start of Christmas to me. I love that Aidan is learning that it is good to be able to share with others. He has a philanthropy plan for The Aidan Company in the future including a work program that pays poorer people better. Quinlan isn’t quite there yet but I am planning some of the same things we do each year to make it more of a reality for him.

This year I thought I would put out a challenge to my Vancouver blogging buddies, make a donation to one of the local food banks this year. I will be making a donation. Aidan decided to take some money from his piggy bank this year. Together we can make a huge difference.

Just Put Your Shoes On

Gwen — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 03:42:11 +0000

I think that I might be going crazy. Am I really asking the boys to do something horrible? Or am I asking them to put their toys away? Did I really just ask the boys at least 30 times to put on their shoes? Did I really need to ask them to put on their jackets?

Quinlan is going through a very bad case of the threes. Everything is a fight with him. He is frustrating and frustrated. He is refusing to toilet train. He screams all the time. He throws things. He hit his brother. But when he smiles and hugs you you have a very hard time staying angry at him.

I am trying to set limits on Quinlan for the bad behaviour that hurt people and things. I am trying to let go of the things that are not hurting anyone. I am trying to give Quinlan the opportunity to decide when he is ready to get rid of the pull-ups and actually go to the toilet all the time. I think we are in for a rough ride for a while until he figures out that the bad behaviour is not as satisfying as good behaviour. As stubborn as he is, the toilet training thing will only happen when he is ready. Anthony and I just need to let go of the thought of having less than 7 (or more) full years of butt wiping duty. Related, how on earth do you get a child to stay in time out? Putting in his room just resulted in him pulling off more of the wallpaper border.

Signed,

Frustrated in Vancouver

© 2011 Left Coast Mama | Permalink | One comment
Related: discipline, goals, parenting, parenting mistakes, Quinlan, Toilet Training.

Trains, Trains, Trains

Gwen — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:28:01 +0000

I am pretty sure the boy get their love of trains from me. That is not to say that Anthony doesn’t like trains, but I think he was more into other things growing up. A big part of the reason the boys have so much wooden train track and trains is because I love them. When Aidan was too small to make his own track layouts I took the time to make intricate layouts for him. Aidan loves trains and his track layouts are extensive and intricate and beautiful. Quinlan’s eyes light up when he is playing with trains. Both boys were excited when we walked into the gymnasium filled with elaborate tracks, scenery and moving trains at the Model Train exhibition in Burnaby.

I think my favourite were the Lego trains, but there were a lot of cool models there as well.

Although it may just be the elaborate minifig presentations that won me over.

The details in the other models and backgrounds were pretty fabulous as well.

Our boys had a great time and it was nice to see the looks of joy on their faces and that of the grown ups running the trains. Everybody needs a place to play.