Winter’s here. My kids are loving it. They spent most of the weekend outside building a snow-fort and tobogganing.

This kid loves winter, snow, skiing, tobogganing. Today it was -30c and she came home from school annoyed that their outdoor broom-ball game was canceled.

This kid comes in a close second. I love this photo of her coming out of the snow-fort on Saturday afternoon. She was out for hours and hours. I love the flakes on her lashes.

I am so thankful that Georgia has decided putting on mittens isn’t the END of life as she knows it.

I don’t like it when winter sneaks up on us before the summer toys get put away. That wasn’t the case this year, just a week ago we were basking in 15c (+55f). This year the toys were put away and then due to a fabulous fall, they all came back out. You can’t win :)

I won’t tell you how much I dislike it when people complain about the weather. I won’t …

There are certainly things I don’t LOVE about winter. Then again, there are things that I do love. Like this bright blue Alberta winter sky. It might have been -30 today, but it was -30 and sunny! It’s fabulous!

Tell me something you LIKE about winter :)

MK xo
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Disclosure: Mother Nature provided the blue sky and the snow. I received no payment for NOT complaining about it.

I have a confession to make, up until my MRI etc. (last week). I hadn’t left my house any more than a handful of times in 2009. My neurologist was incredulous. He suggested anti-depressants and I declined. I did, however, have to promise to leave the house everyday, get some exercise (remember I used to walk everyday?), and make sure to eat properly. Shouldn’t we all do that anyway?

It’s not an anxiety thing. I am not worried about leaving the house (really). I just don’t feel like it. I am exhausted, I don’t want to get dressed, I don’t want to cook. You get the idea.

Anyway … a promise is a promise, right? So I’ve been shopping, met a friend for coffee (thanks Pam), went for lunch with Hayley (kid #1), been to the dentist (woohoo).

Georgia and I out shopping – proof I left the house (taken with my iPhone).

I peter out about 4 p.m., so once supper is cooked and eaten, I organize the kidlets for the next day and I often go to bed. I usually get lucky and have a kid or two in bed with me. Mostly Georgia, because she’ll watch NEWS and like it (who knew?). Last night laying in bed, feeling guiltly because I wasn’t participating much in life, I promised her I would do two things with her today, she could pick. She wanted to jump on the trampoline with me and go for a bike ride. My balance is a bit wonky, so both are an effort.

Trampoline is a work out –> one, two, three, four, I declare a bum war.

Biking … HA, do remember when you were a kid and you needed a few tries to get all balanced and going. That’s me and my brainstem injury on a bike. It’s like I’m 6 again. VERY embarrassing at major intersections.

My couch warming, pj wearing, house loving, winter has left me somewhat plump (OK … down right FAT). I’m one of those unlucky women who is built like a barrel. I am massive on top and fairly normal on the bottom. My closet is full of regular sized jeans and my shirts are fucking ENORMOUS.

I just can’t find a shirt that doesn’t emphasis the back fat. I need the magic shirt that makes me thin. I am ready to jump off a bridge. You pear-shaped fatty’s have it so much better. I’ve tried on about 30 shirts in the past week and each time, my life gets darker and more depressing.

I’d do anything … ANYTHING to loose weight (except diet and exercise). I want my pj’s back! Would it be wrong to pretend I was a nurse and wear scrubs?

MK xo
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Sam and Lizzy are in downhill racing this year. Sunday was their first race.

Here comes Sam. My first thought when I realized it was him was, ‘for the love of God, do your coat up!’ Then I snapped out of it and started taking photos.

As you can see, he’s enjoying the run. He was also taking in the crowd, he managed to holler out a HUGE, “HI MOM, HI DAD” as he whizzed by, which earned him a round of applause, cowbells (yep, they ring cowbells), and laughter.

He liked those cowbells! I’ll have to have a little chat with him about wind resistance –> DO UP YOUR COAT!

Go Sam Go!

Here comes my girl. Unlike her brother she is focused on the race, not the crowd. She skied really well.

Will ya look at that sky? It was a glorious day with temps around 5c (40+f), not a cloud in the sky. It was seriously GOOD for my cabin-fevered soul.

Go Lizzy Go!

Mr. MK is in charge of skiing, therefore, I didn’t even get out of bed when they left the house at 6:30 a.m. If I had aroused, I would have insisted she braid her hair. The rat’s nest … AHHH!

Then again, I was in charge of getting this wild child ready at noon, and she doesn’t look much better!

Not to be outdone Georgia managed to get in a little downhill speed herself.

It was a great day, in a fabulous city! Winter really does have it’s ups!

How was your weekend?

MK xo
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Winners are:

iTunes card: Mom on the Run

Book: Collen from A Madison Mom

Please email me with your addresses :) @ kim (@) mommyknows (dot) com

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Please don’t forget:

I won’t bore you with details about our weather, I will say only this: IT’S FUCKING COLD (sorry but it had to be said), it’s had me thinking about the homeless in our city. I just can’t stand the thought of people living, or worse dying out in the cold (regardless of why or how they got there). Last night I cleaned out my coat closets and took all the old, unused, unnecessary coats, fleece jackets, gloves, neck tubes, scarfs, boots, snowpants, long johns; washed them up and then today I hauled them down to an inner city church that is in URGENT need of outerwear for the homeless.

That gave me the warm fuzzies! When it’s -30c, I’ll take the warm fuzzies any which way I can get them. If your in the Edmonton area don’t leave all those old coats etc. hanging around (pun intended) in your coat closet never to be worn. Head on down to the Mustard Seed and drop them off –> 96 Street & 106A Ave. If you are not in Edmonton, I am sure there is a homeless shelter or equivalent in your area that could use your help (especially with all this unusually cold weather continent wide).

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On a lighter note, the Third Annual Blogger Christmahunukwanzaakah Online Holiday Concert is in full swing over at Neal’s Citizen of the Month. PLEASE, go over and watch the Little Drummer Boy, just thinking about it has me laughing.

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Am I Loosing My Mind?

I have this little blue pencil case like bag, that I keep my injection gear in. Tonight I couldn’t find it! I need it, it has my auto injector and a couple $100 doses of medication. I need to take it. Did I mention I couldn’t find it? I searched, Mr. MK searched … everywhere … we looked some places twice. It’s not the first thing I’ve lost lately. I was frustrated, nearly to tears, but definitely to the point of anger. I finally found it. I’d wrapped it up with (IN) Mr. MK’s Christmas gift!? Hello … MK … are you home? I have absolutely no recollection of doing it or any idea why I’d do it. I only looked in there, because it was one of the things I had touched since misplacing the bag. FREAK!

I’ve also misplaced part of my Grandma’s Christmas gift, my nephews birthday present and a couple of items from Lizzy’s penpals holiday package. I’ve searched high and low, all the likely spots. I re-purchased the gifts, but now I’m thinking I should start looking in the unlikely spots, like the freezer, cereal boxes, toilet tanks. If I am lucky someone will open them up on Christmas morning and I will be able to get them back.

Ummm, just in case I forget –> Merry Christmas Dammit!

MK xo
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Imagine it’s 20 degrees below ZERO.

Imagine how cold that is. (Those of you living this, don’t waste your energy imagining. You live with the horror, just bear with me.)

Imagine how TERRIBLE your life would be if your parents made you wear mittens!

OH THE HORROR!

Imagine if (like me) you had to deal with this 2-3 times a day!

What sends your kids into a melt-down?

MK xo
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