Camping reservations

I love to camp. I love setting up the tent (although this year we sprang for a new-to-us camper and we are very excited to take it out). I love being outside all day with absolutely nothing to do. I love cooking over a fire. I love the rustling of the trees as I sleep. And I really love sitting in a lawn chair by a crackling fire at night and just watching it burn.

Some of my fondest memories from my youth involve camping and I'm so happy to share the same experiences with my kids. We've camped with each of them as babies (crazy, I know), and now the excitement on Mya's face (and I assume on Jasper's when he's old enough to understand) when she hears about our camping plans for the upcoming season is priceless.

This week was opening week for Saskatchewan Provincial Parks and I was geared up and ready. We have a lot of trips planned this year that will see us to Battleford, Moose Mountain, Duck Mountain, and (fingers crossed) Rowan's Ravine. We also plan to hit up Nickle Lake as it's only a few minutes away from where we live.

Saying that reservations at Sask Parks happen fast is an understatement. And those of you who were lucky enough to get campsites without encountering any problems were exactly that: Lucky. I was among the 1500 people who were mistakenly charged twice for my campsite on Monday morning. And I was also one of the 3400 people who had logged in on Wednesday morning in an attempt to book a campsite at Douglas Provincial Park. I say 'attempt' because that day I needed 6 sites for a family camping trip and by the time the system worked itself out of the massive overwhelm there were only single bookings left (and not very many at that).

Monday morning at least found me with two campsites at Battleford for the week prior to my family's Beaton Festivus. We will be camping with Jacquie's family like we do every year and I'm most excited for our annual trek to the lighthouse in Cochin. But Wednesday was a bust. I was awake at 6:45am and by 8:00am with still no campsite, I was one cranky momma!

Sask Parks wrote numerous emails of apology and have fixed their system by extending Friday's launch into 3 more days. The positive of this change is that I still need to book at Moose Mountain, Duck Mountain and Rowan's Ravine - so there's a better chance that I can get the sites I want on the days I want when they are divided up. Unfortunately for me it means another 3 days of waking up at  6:45am in order to make sure I get reservations. They launch reservations at 7am sharp.

Friday found me with a full service site at Duck Mountain. Saturday found me with an electrical site at Moose Mountain. And Tuesday morning (fingers crossed) will find me with 6 sites all together for our Haug family camping trip in July. I've enlisted Jacquie's help for Tuesday's launch as I don't want to miss out again like I did for Douglas.

As tiring as this week has been with all the 6:45am wake ups, I'm really looking forward to a summer of camping. Our new parks this year: Battleford - a park I haven't been to since I was a kid, Duck Mountain - Roger's suggestion as he remembers loving it there and Rowan's Ravine - the backup park since we didn't find sites at Douglas, but have heard from friends that it's a beautiful park. And, of course, our token park: Moose Mountain - will find us there for our third year in a row.

As much as I love the white stuff outside, I'm ready for a little fun in the sun!

Melanie

Broken Heart

When I think about losing my dad all those years ago - what I remember are my friends.

I left the hospital and went straight to my friend Sam's house. I walked in, started crying, and just remember her holding me. She cried with me and told me that she didn't know what to say. What she didn't know is that I didn't need her to say anything. In that moment, all I wanted and needed was a hug from my friend. And she gave that to me.

When I got home, I was greeted by my extended family and an overwhelming amount of friends who had all heard the news and rushed to be by my and my sisters' sides. They gave me what I needed and they stayed for hours. They were wonderful and they helped me get through an extremely difficult time in my life.

Thankfully not many of my friends knew what it felt like to lose a parent. But they knew what to do anyway. They knew my heart was broken and they all knew how to be there.

A year after he passed I received a card in the mail from Sheena. She wrote a sweet note and ended by saying: "I am still sad when I think about losing 'my' dad". She wrote 'my' and it made me cry. Sheena was family and my dad always thought of her as a fourth daughter.

Five years after he passed away, my friend Kelly surprised us all by submitting a memorial in the city newspaper. She signed it from Celina, Jacquie, Melanie and all your other 'daughters'. It was sweet and thoughtful and helped me feel not so alone.

And to this day, on the anniversary of my dad's death, I still receive countless text messages and emails from friends and family. Some say they are thinking of me. Others tell me they love me. And some will simply send me a heart symbol.

My friends were there for me. And they still are. I felt loved during a time when my world was falling apart and I am still so thankful for them.

Today I am writing this blog because I am sad. I am sad because, in the last two weeks, my friends Sheena and Trevor (Becky) have both lost their dads. And I know their hearts are breaking.

I no longer live in the same city as my friends and I'm at a loss as to what I can do for them. I want to be there. I want to walk over to their houses and stay for hours. I want to give them the hugs I know they desperately need. I want to cry with them. I want to listen, to help and to share in their pain. Because losing a parent (or anyone for that matter) means losing a piece of your heart. I want to be there to help them grieve and then to heal. And I want to give them what they gave me all those years ago - a friend.

To my friends - I wish I could catch your tears in the palm of my hand and mingle them with my own. You are not alone. My heart is broken too and I understand your pain. I am so sorry.

xoxo

Melanie

The Kitchen Remodel

My home was built in 1977. I love it and together with my family we have made some great memories over the past two years. But if there's one thing we could change, it would be the kitchen:

It's old. It's outdated. The fridge seems like an afterthought and it isn't a good use of space. And my biggest pet peeve - we do not even have a dishwasher!  Ugh. What a pain it's been to wash all my dishes in the sink.

My husband and I decided it was time. We had to renovate.

Our list of wants:

- A dishwasher (stainless steel inside and out. A thing of beauty)

- Glass backsplash (we like greys and blues and wanted a little splash of colour)

- Undermount sink (I refused to listen when the Home Depot said it couldn't be done with a laminate countertop)

Jacquie designed our new kitchen layout. We set a budget. I price matched on Black Friday to get some great deals on new appliances. We did the research and got cabinet quotes from six different cabinet makers (and yes - custom cabinets really are cheaper than stock cabinets) before choosing Elite Kitchens in Weyburn. We got quotes from an electrician and a plumber. We looked at handles, backsplashes, countertops and paint. And then my talented husband did all the work.

Bippity Boppity Boo!

It's not finished yet. Roger still needs to do the crown molding, light rail, toe kick, change out the light, finish the trim, put up curtains, and add the glass backsplash. But it's an amazing transformation and I couldn't be more excited. Probably should have cleaned off my fridge for the photo, but it works anyway.

Did I mention I have the best husband?

Welcome to my dream kitchen. You are welcome anytime!

Melanie

The bracelet

Shortly after Mya was born, Roger mentioned that he couldn't wait for the day when Mya would make him a friendship bracelet. It's one of the perks to having a little girl. He is a proud dad and said he'd love to wear it.

Today was that day.

Yesterday I took Mya shopping for some much needed craft supplies and we stocked up on buttons, sparkles, stickers, paper, glue, paint, and more. Mya was eager and excited and she exclaimed, "Oh mommy, I NEED that!" at almost everything in the craft aisle. She was most excited for a new, special item that we added to our shopping cart: a gigantic box of beads and some bracelet strings.

This morning we sat in her craft room and she choose the colour of her dad's bracelet (red) and all the beads. I watched as she patiently added each bead to the bracelet and carefully pulled it all the way to the bottom.

I knew Roger wouldn't believe that she made the bracelet herself, so I took this little video:
 

As of lunch time today, Roger is sporting a beaded bracelet on his wrist (it's tied on so he can't take it off). When he got home for supper Mya went running, "Daddy, you wearing your bracelet?"

He pretended to look surprised as he picked her up. "Oh? I don't know. Let's check" he laughed.

Yup. Still there. And he loves it.

Melanie

 

Good Cop vs Bad Cop

When it comes to parenting, is it always Good Cop vs Bad Cop?

Me? I'm the bad cop. Especially when it comes to discipline at bedtime. And I'm torn about whether that's actually a bad thing.
 
Mya is 2 years old, so we are at the beginning stages of learning to discipline her. We give her warnings, but she tests her limits (A LOT!) and eventually we have to follow through with a punishment. Her punishment usually means laying her down in her bed and explaining what she did wrong. Easy. She understands the message and that's what matters.

I complain and say that I don't like being the bad cop, but that's not always true. Being the bad cop doesn't make me a mean parent. I love my kids. But I want them to grow up knowing right from wrong. I want them to know they have boundaries and when they cross the line, there's a punishment.

Lately I've been the bad cop when it comes to bedtime. Mya has always been an excellent sleeper, but since we moved her to her big girl bed and she discovered that she can climb out of her bed on her own, she thinks it's fun to continuously come out to say hello.

"But I no wanna go to sleep" has become a nightly phrase in our house.

If we are home, her nightly routine is always the same: supper, playtime, bath, watch an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, brush teeth, potty break, read at least 3 stories, kisses and hugs and good night. Ideally she's in bed by 8:30pm, but sometimes as late as 9:00pm.

We've had to set some rules to prevent her from getting out of bed. After all, bedtime is bedtime. And if she gets up more than once (for anything other than to use the potty) then we close her door. She has this new fear of the dark and prefers to sleep with her door open. It's not a problem so long as she stays in bed. But, if Mya climbs out of bed after bedtime, I close her door. Most nights she goes right to sleep after that.

I felt bad the first few nights as we've been pretty lenient in the past. But bedtime has started to drag on for hours and if we don't enforce the rules, she won't learn. So I took on the role of bad cop and I'm happy to report that Mya has had a nap every day since Thursday and for the past few nights bedtime has went off without a hitch. She doesn't necessarily fall asleep right away, but she lays quietly in bed and plays her music bear until sleep overtakes her.

All that being said - I'm always the good cop when it comes to daily treats. Today I gave Mya a kid-sized glass of chocolate milk, the arm of a gingerbread cookie and three chocolate chips. Little treats throughout the day are offered so long as she doesn't tell her daddy on me!

Maybe it's not all bad.

Melanie

2013 Christmas card letter

My 2013 Christmas card letter:

Twas the year 2013 at the Pilloud family home
Jasper was born, while Mya obsessed over a gnome.
Roger began a new career with the WIT,
and Melanie enjoys her mat leave benefit.

Born premature, Jasper was hospitalized longer than expected,
From infections to jaundice the nurses made sure he was never neglected.
He finally came home to stay and made our family so happy,
And it was time as Melanie was getting so sappy.
He’s seven months now and is growing so fast,
the size of a one year old, but he’s having a blast.
Rolling and laughing and beginning to sit on his own,
He loves his big sister, you can tell by his tone.

Mya is potty trained, it started soon after she turned two,
And though there’s been accidents, there’s been very few.
She sings and she plays, but loves to dance the best,
So we enrolled her in dance class to put her skills to the test.
Our little chatterbox, she repeats every word,
Her speech is easy to understand even when she’s quite slurred.
She’s learning her shapes and colours and can count 1, 2, 3,
Her favourite is the alphabet and asks: “Won’t you sing with me?”

Roger is almost a year in his new position,
as a Grain Marketing Rep, he enjoys the competition.
At the end of the day is his favourite part,
As Mya runs into his arms – she truly holds his heart.
He frequently tackles our home renovations,
Including a front deck of his and his brother’s creation.
Next to come is a kitchen remodel,
With any luck it will go smoothly and leave us free of a squabble.
He spends his free time working out and watching sports on tv,
He’s recovering well from his knee surgery.

Although each day brings a new set of drama,
Melanie longs to be a stay-at-home momma.
She sews lots of blankets and cooks family grub,
And has recently joined another book club.
Writing is a passion as she started a new blog,
http://livelaughgiggle.blogspot.ca if you want to follow along.

We hope this Christmas finds you all cheery and bright,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!"

xoxoxoxoxo
Melanie

The grinch who stole my Christmas

Do you know anyone who didn't cheer for Rudy? What about Rocky? Vince Papale in Invincible? Jerry Maguire? The Rockford Peaches in A League of their Own? Or in my favourite movie of all time - The Shawshank Redemption - is there anyone who wasn't rooting for Andy to break free of those prison walls?

I don't think so.

But when I decided to write a blog about how much I enjoy Christmas cards - sending and receiving - and let the world in on the friendly competition that my sisters and I share, something changed in the underdog story.

Jacquie wins the bet every year. And she doesn't just win - she blows Celina and I out of the water. We aren't even close. Last year Jac had over 50 cards. Celina collected almost 40 (she admits to that being an exceptional year as Layla's class sent out cards to help put Celina on the map). And I received a grand total of 27. 

When I announced the bet and last year's totals, I fully expected people to rally with the underdog. But what happened was the complete opposite.

Jacquie went for a visit with some family and saw our cousin Dianne. She gave her her annual Christmas card and then asked if she should delay mailing mine and Celina's to give her a head start at winning the bet. To her credit, Jac said no. The bet is a fun game and it should be fair. I believe Dianne mailed the letters, but since I haven't received mine I can't be sure.

Next - Jacquie has a friend and co-worker who prefers to send New Year's cards. They are welcomed just as much as a Christmas card, but unfortunately don't count for our bet. So when she discovered this little fact, she created a Christmas photo card of her family and emailed it to Jacquie. At first I thought it was real until I noticed that the heads of her family have been cropped onto other people's bodies:

Her friend also asked her husband to write a Merry Christmas email to send to Jacquie. He sent this:

 

Merry Christmas Jacquie!  Hope the holiday season finds you well!
Warmest regards, Sean

Wow! It's funny - so, so, so funny. And resulted in Jacquie counting two points instead of one.

Jacquie was then disappointed because her parents-in-law have also decided to jump on the New Year's card bandwagon - which again means she can't count their card. But was surprised when she received a hand delivered card from her father-in-law that read:

 

And finally - Jacquie received not one, not two, but three cards from the same address in Lanigan. She thought it was odd and began opening them up. She received a Christmas card from the Bergen's. Then received another card specifically from their son Mattex. And lastly, received a card from their pet dog.

From. The. Dog.

Yesterday Jacquie received a total of 14 cards. FOURTEEN!?!

As of yesterday morning I was happily in the lead of our friendly competition with a total of 27 cards (my total from last year). Celina was sitting at 16 and Jacquie was at 23. With only two days left I thought there was finally a chance that I might win this year.

And then Jacquie received a letter from a dog.

Celina and I thought seriously about adding a rule to the game that states that you can only count one card per household - but then we remembered Santa letters. We each have 2 kids, so we count each Santa letter as its own point. And I think about the future when Mya or Jasper want to help me with Christmas cards and will send out their own. I'd like to think that those cards would count. So we allowed Jacquie to count all of her letters.

All 37 of them...

Jacquie has yet to check the mail today, but we know what's waiting in her mailbox. And with only one day left - Celina and I will admit defeat and once again will lose the Christmas card bet. We will make the trek to Tim Horton's and purchase $5 gift cards in Jacquie's name and send them in the mail.

She will receive more mail.

What happened to cheering for the underdog? Apparently no one cheers for the underdog anymore - not even the dog...

Merry Christmas everyone. Thank you all for the cards, emails, pictures and letters. We enjoy each and every one of them and look forward to the 2014 season already. And who knows - maybe next year we'll receive letters from all sorts of animals?

Melanie