Elise has been telling everyone she is having a baby. "When I get bigger my tummy will be REALLY big and my baby will come out." When asked what she will name the baby without a moment's hesitation she replied "Seahorse Rectangle."

It's dusk and Elise, aged 3 and 9 months, wants to build a bird's nest to give the baby birds a cozy place to sleep. It's 9:30, well past her bedtime, but we had just had a neighbourhood party. We tell her to hurry and gather the things she needs to make her nest because it's getting dark. With those huge earnest eyes and an excited voice she looks up at Erin, raises her little hand to the sky and says "Ok. Papa, you keep the sky this colour so I can make the nest!"

I heard recently that when your young daughter gets her first crush on a man other than her father, you should write down the qualities of the man and compare it to her lifelong mate when she's older.

Well, here is what my future son in law should be like, according to this theory.

Meet our young neighbour, Jake. He is one of the nicest 12 year old boys I have ever met. Jake eats sleeps and breathes hockey, except when he's playing Lacrosse. He is a goalie. His father supports his addiction and has built him a paved "rink" beside their house (between our two houses) which he flooded when the weather was cold in December. I often throw pucks and balls back over the fence.

The first time I met Jake was the day after we moved in. He rang our bell, introduced himself and asked if there was any time I would not like him to play hockey outside. I told him that since the girls sleep at the other end of the house it would probably not be a problem but if it was ever bothering me, I'd open the window and let him know.

Since then he has endeared himself fully with Elise and, especially, Daniella. At our house warming party he entertained them by shining a flashlight on the wall and they were chasing the light around. The girls like to go next door and bounce on the trampoline. If Jake is home, he comes out and bounces with them - does funny tricks and double bounces them by having them sit down and he does big belly flops and bum drops to get them to catch air. They laugh so hard!

I knew Daniella was smitten when she started waking up and the first thing she said was "Go bouncing with Gake? Gake do silly jumps?" Then, the other day, Jake was bouncing on the trampoline and D went out on the deck to watch him, clad in a diaper. Jake invited her over and while I was putting some pants on her in the house she said "Look so pretty for Gake!"

He always seems so happy to see Elise and Daniella. He is a genuine boy with a big heart...just like his parents. Congratulations to Rick and Dana for raising such an amazing young man! If each of my girls end up with a man like I expect Jake to grow up to be, I will be one happy Mama.

Every few months I say, "I wanna get fit" and then I come up with a great plan. Last time I bought time at the gym and prepaid for a bunch of classes (bootcamp, etc). I even went for a while to the gym once or twice a week and then a class once or twice a week. And...then...I...slowed...down...and...stopped...going. Grrrr.

So I thought back to the time when I was most fit and realized that I was playing squash, ultimate and doing martial arts. I had tried to find a martial arts school that I liked, but nothing measured up to my first one so I didn't end up doing that.

Then yesterday I discovered that not only was there an Ultimate league in Surrey, it is a 5 minute walk from my house! Of course I signed up for that right away and it starts on Sunday.

I also dropped by our local racquet club and I plan to start playing squash next.

That should at least get me going and help me shed those extra pounds I've put on and start to get my cardio back.

After that I plan to get to the gym, but we'll see how that goes.

For the first time since I have owned a vehicle (first one in 1991), it is parked IN THE FRICKIN GARAGE!!!!

Our first house had an extra long garage; however, we converted half of it into Christine's quiet place and the other half was used for all of our crap.

Our current house has a two car garage, yet we still parked in the driveway. How could we have a TWO car garage and not get our car in it?

We have organized our garage twice before, though we could never get the car in. This time we just said, "the heck with it", and took everything out and drove the car right in, and then organized around it.

Now, are you supposed to be able to open the car doors?