The Debate is on

Here we are waiting the ten remaining minutes until the debate starts. The kids have decided that they need to stay up and watch with us. Helene has actually expressed her political views and has given us reasons why she prefers Kerry over Bush. It was astounding, because I certainly did not have a political opinion at the age of nine! I mean her father and I are still not sure what we need to do. I mean, we are like a lot of other americans, we know what we don't want, but we sure wish we knew more about our choices...

I am starting to cringe on all the debate flashbacks that are happening. I can't imagine being the candidate that is shown over and over again as making the huge blunder that cost the debate. I mean, the sighs for Gore were probably awful to have to see the following day, but now, four years later, to have them shown on the screen every fiftenn seconds. You just must be sick to death of the whole thing. Ford saying that there is no communist rule in Poland. OK, the guy made a mistake, we need to get over it.

At any rate, we are having a good time discussing the election with the kids. We are stressing the need to talk about positive points about both candidates, and the negatives about both. The kids are surprized to find that they know relatively little about either candidate and that is making them curious. It certainly is making us, as parents, take on the whole election in a whole new light.

OK, the show starts now. Gotta go.

Luke is six!

We are almost through the single mom stint and the kids are getting ready to start the single parent with dad week. I am exhausted just thinking about it, but kind of looking forward to my week on the road, without kids. My problem is that I just replace the kids with the customer and I am still in motherhood mode.

Work is crazy and I am not sure how I am going to keep up over the next few months. My biggest problem is going to be staying motivated. I mean, I still really like my current job, but there are a lot of organizational changes going on at work that will affect what I do, and I am not so sure that I am going to like what will happen. I really don't have any choice but to wait and see, but I have never been real good at just waiting around.

We celebrated Luke's birthday yesterday at the bowling alley with five of his friends from school. It was fun and he had a good time. I like this having parties somewhere else, you have a definate start and end time. Just like that, the time is up, the kids go home, and it's all over!

Today we celebrated again at Louis and Caroles house. We also wished Hailey (Lou's grand daughter!) a happy first birthday. She turns one tomorrow. The kids swam, ate ice cream cake and Lou grilled. It was a gorgeous day.

Regine and Jacques are at mom and dads for the next few weeks. They all came over to Lou's and so did Richard and Kathy. We even got to see Roger in the evening. It was a really nice day, only Jean-Jacques was missing.

All good things must come to an end though and now I have to pack for my week and get my butt in gear. The kids are upstairs and they certainly didn't bother to make their lunches, which only means war in the morning. Hopefully it will be a restful night and we will all wake in a good mood (yeah, sure, dream on!).

Try to Remember the kind of September...

Ok, the kids are in school and they are getting back to normal with a normal schedule. We still need to get a piano teacher for Charlotte and maybe a gymnastics lessons or drama lessons for Helene. We did manage to sign Luke up for soccer, but with my luck I will be the one (of the infamous 'we') that gets to take him to practice and games, because JJ will be unavailable ...

Actually, September is looking to be a crazy month. I am in South Carolina early next week (hurricane Frances permitting) and I come home Wednesday evening. JJ has a wine tasting on Thursday and Friday the 10th he leaves for France for ten days.

My amore returns the 20th around 5pm, but I leave that same afternoon (around 2pm) for Montreal for the entire week! We are coordinating for car pick up in the parking lot, so he won't have to pay for parking. I just hope that he doesn't forget to pick me up at the end of the week. You know I wonder if our kids will get really used to only having to negotiate with one parent, they will probably go into freak out mode when we are both at home! I am not sure how JJ and I will remember to have dual parenting roles. Being a single parent is a difficult job and one that I pray to God I will never have to learn, but when you are the only one making the decisions, some things are easier. I don't mind the occasional two week single parent stint, but I pray it will never become permanent. Ofcourse, the more I think about it, the more I think that I would like to try a two week single person stint, and let JJ try the single parent thing!

We are getting really excited about Regine's and Jacques' visit. They are due to arrive in the middle of September and will stay with my parents for a month. I have been searching the web for small 3 and 4 day trips so that mom and they can go see little things around and then come back for a few days. If anyone has any suggestions for unique things to see and do within a five hour drive, let me know.

Hurricane Frances is reeking havoc with my mind for Monday's travel. I am a frequent traveller, but you may be surprized to hear that I am not a good traveller. I really HATE to fly. So you can imagine my dilemma with flying to South Carolina when the eastern side of Florida is being evacuated due to Frances. Now where is South Carolina locted again??? Oh yeah, just North of Florida on the EAST COAST! Yeah, I know there is a little state called Georgia between the two, but still, I fear a bumpy and yucky landing.

This is the last weekend that our pool club is open and we are hoping to take advantage of it. We are also planning on going to Penny and Brian's on Sunday night and the pool is having a pig roast on Monday and Jack is actually talking about taking the kids camping tomorrow night!!! I cannot imagine having the house all to myself all Saturday night, that pretty much sounds sinful. I'll get some chick flicks and watch myself silly while I take a footbath and exfoliate!

Happy Labor Day weekend one and all.