Fei's Home

The little furry boys are excited ;)

Eric, Lili and Fei packed up and cleaned their suite. It all came home.  3 car loads dumped in the house.  It's a lot.  All 3 are exhausted. They brought home Bonnie Martin's Chinese specials for dinner. Then got to work unloading cars.

The littles and I just stayed out of the way.

It is nice to have everyone under the same roof.  

Mother Mother

I enjoyed the concert a lot more than I expected to. Jia loved it. These are her people.

The hotel is perfect for us. We're in a corner room looking at the theater.

We ate take out from the Smith's pub attached to the hotel.  They make home made potato chips. They're worth the drive.

Ready!!

The theater is truly beautiful.

Because what she really needed was another black hoodie.

We didn't get seats together but this is how close we were.

Eric managed to get the new parts installed on the furnace but it wouldn't stay running.  Furnace guy came today. We needed this part removed. Wahla.  Saved many thousands with more diy. 

Shannon and I were up early ready to book sites. There were only five.  I got one but she didn't. Still a sucky system.  So we both booked Sproat Lake instead.  Longer drive but so much to do there.  I'm already excited about that trip.  

Can't sleep.

The new motor arrived for the furnace. He was so sure it would be easy.  Not.  He was on it all day. First no attachment tabs. Then different nuts. Then needed a new hose, which is coming tomorrow.  Finally got it running but it won't stay on.  Now we have a furnace guy coming tomorrow.  In the meantime we're warm enough. The living room is toasty.

Cuddles :)

Jia wanted a haircut today. Not enough notice for me.  Gramma is a softie so she took her in. It's a big change.  I love it. Jia wasn't so sure but it's growing on her. She was thinking it would be masculine on her but I think she looks cuter than ever.  Much to her dismay. Haha.  

So now...I can't sleep. Way too much on my mind. A friend with a kid having serious brain surgery tomorrow at Children's. Luk pulled his tube out a bit tonight while I was attempting to get him to do it himself.  I think all is ok but we bandaged it tight and I'll call Children's tomorrow.  Jia and I are off to Victoria to see Mother Mother tomorrow night.  I booked a hotel across from the theater so I don't have to drive the Malahat in the dark.  Fei's last exam is tomorrow.  She has to get 80% to pass her year. Lili is home and she's a talker/planner so I end up with her stuff muddled in my brain.  I have to get up early to book a campsite but I think only 5 sites are opening up.  Odds are low it will work. The girls move out is Saturday. I was offered a chance to put a bid on for an upgraded room on our Alaska cruise. Then again, and again.  I've now bid on four different rooms. We're happy with the room style we already picked so it's not a big deal. However, because I can't figure out how it works, the randomness and mystery is keeping me quite amused. I've joined some cruise groups on Facebook.  So much confusion in the travel world right now. Jia burned popcorn earlier so I'm not loving the smell. Wish I was feeling sleepy. Jia is still up, right beside me playing a Sega rythm game, Project Sekai. She's amazingly fast. It's impressive to watch. 

The Furnace Died

Very loudly in the middle of the night. Of course.  We're having a hard time finding local peeps knowledgeable about boiler systems.  Eric has put his garage heater in the basement to keep the main floor warmish. We haven't had to plug electric heaters in just yet.

Finn is shaking.  I'm taking a couch break to warm him up.  He's under the blankie.

Eric has made small progress. He found an electric outlet that sells motors similar to what we need.  Now we wait for a call back.

Uodate: We got the call back. Eric has worked around the heating guys who wanted between 8 and 16 thousand. He got a new motor/pump/fan something or other ordered and it's coming courier.  Best part, around 3 hundred dollars.  Fingers crossed it comes and it works!  In the meantime we've put a heater in the living room and dining room.  Some areas of the house are toasty.  Others not so much.  

Lili is home.

She took two days off.  Then pulled everything out of her closet.  She's been busy most of today going down memory lane.

She has stuff in her new room, old room and dorm room.  Clearly she's trying to organize her life.  I just don't have extra time to take on any new projects so I'm not much help right now.  

She starts work tomorrow.  The room will be a disaster for a while.

I got my crown finished today. A zirconian porcelain 3d printed tooth.  Haha.  It's so smooth, I can't stop feeling it with my tongue.  

I went in the moho today and there is no smell from the fire.  The new bathroom floor is identical to the old one. Major relief. Eric was wanting to pull the transmission and redo seals.  I voiced time constraint concerns. Now he's reconsidering his time line.  More relief.  He is going to reseal the roof instead.  

Mental Health

This happened today!

Yesterday was overwhelming.  I asked Eric if I could move out.  Totally joking of course.  So after a decentish night's sleep and a morning with no alarms I woke up and got showered.  Sat at my desk and caught some things up. Then Lili and I took off for the afternoon.  Getting organized always helps me feel more in control. Taking some time off for mental health.  It definitely helped that it was a sunny day.

After my haircut. Yippee.  We went to Ping's for lunch.  We hung out in Chemainus for a while.

This kid moved home last night.  We just need Fei back now!  She's in Nanaimo until the end of April.

We walked the tranquility labyrinth.  It might have worked to clear our minds if not for the sibling group who were full on arguing.  Always triggering.  

We ran quite a few errands. Ear drops for Jenny. CBD for Finn.  Face medication prescription filled for Luk. Tiny personal care things for our flight to Las Vegas. Arts and crafts to make a sign for our cruise ship door in celebration of our 30th Anniversary. New room things for Lili's room. A new bed for Sasha. And the most exciting thing of all, ducks! Lots of ducks. Enough ducks for Eric and I to hide 3 each every day of the cruise.  This is a new thing on cruise ships.  Too fun.  I can't wait to treasure hunt for ducks and hide ours.  We hit several stores today in our duck hunt. Lili was a good sport.  Then we finally found pay dirt/duck in a Dollartree.  I really, really needed this fun win today.  

Necessary toys for the Chihuahuas.  Because it's possible they don't have enough.

Oh, and on our list of chores was going to a fabric store to buy supplies to make tubie pads for Luk's appliance. Which is out of my skill set.  When we were waiting for our Ping's I went on Amazon and found someone making them.  I ordered a set of 4.  They should be here in a couple weeks.  They are too much for what they are but I'm just happy to have something off my to do list. While on Amazon I also ordered some supplies to make Luk's flush a little easier.  Eric was a bit horrified last night when he realized the program had changed and is wondering why we're going through all of this.  Luk prefers his new life.  He has mentioned many times that this is preferable.  So this is what we do now.  One day he'll manage on his own. 

We brought home dinner for everyone and Eric was just full of better news. Sounds like the moho will be ok.  He had a small fire in there while I was gone.  He's had a massive cleanup to do.  A heater fell over in the bathroom and by the time he realized the whole thing was full of smoke. The only damage was the bathroom lino.  He replaced it with the same stuff.  He got it installed today.  I'm still too scared to go smell but Mom reported that she couldn't smell smoke in there.  There was also a exhaust leak coming in.  He found it today and got that fixed too.  

Mental health 101, do something fun.  This was it today.  The crazy woman ran out cut off all her hair and bought an army of ducks.  Haha. 

Time to settle into the night time routine.  

Too much.

We're home. I don't want to talk about the number of issues going on.  It's currently a little too much. Our hands are full.  Thankfully it's the weekend and there aren't a lot of plans.

One of my middle of the night purchases arrived.  Eric offered to open it up for me to try out with the puppies.  I declined. Today, for sure, it will be broken and a kid or critter will pee, poo or vomit on it.  So it's staying safe in the box until life feels a bit more in control.  Sigh.

Procedure Day

We were an hour early to check in. Prime parking, traffic not too bad. We had a bit of fun playing with the fabric on these chairs. 

I spy.

Waiting.

It's time.

This is 1/3 of the surgery room.  Staff of 9 in there all off to the right.  They're not allowed in pictures.

Luk had a child life coach come and discuss options and he chose a mask to go to sleep rather than iv pokes. He also got to pick the chap stick flavor to rub inside his mask to help the bad smell.  He went with cherry coke.  Children's is amazing at some things.

It never gets easier watching them go to sleep.  Luk was so brave.  I didn't bawl this time.  So I might have been a bit braver than usual too.  Lili stayed with us today and was very helpful.  Surgery was delayed a couple hours so the three of us had some good laughs reminiscing about old funny family stories.

He was awake pretty quickly!!  He was adamant it was a few seconds but it was closer to a half hour.  The surgeon said it went perfectly.  His new chait tube is smaller than we expected and looks fabulous compared to what he's had for the last three months. We're allowed to do a flush tonight.  I'm completely nervous.  Learning curve on my own, in a hotel. Ekk.  Also I got supplies and a little lesson today about what to do if the tube falls out.  Not gonna' lie.  That is one of the scariest things I've ever heard of! 

Luk isn't in any pain yet. We're back at the hotel. We've had dinner.  It was an exhausting day. Lots to process.  Home tomorrow.

Children's

Obligatory ferry shot.

New routine of Starbucks lunch at Children's and always with cake pops.  They didn't have chocolate ones so lemon for me and Birthday cake for the kids.

Luk has been waiting for years to see a dermatologist. Many, many Dr's have tried since he came home to fix his skin issues.  Today we were told definitely not exema or psoriasis. At this point something, but unidentifiable.  She has prescribed a medical cream so expensive she asked about our insurance.  Oy.  He's to try it for six weeks and if it doesn't help he needs a skin biopsy.  Lili wants to know why it's never simple with Luk.  Haha.  I asked if she would mind looking at Lili's little skin issue and it's a simple treatment.  Phew.  

Moxies for dinner.  Then the super fun volcano ice cream.

This never gets old.  He's always too full to actually eat it so I get it ;)

Now we're settled into our room.  I have my new long-johns on.  We got our call already for tomorrow. Check in at 11:15 procedure at 12:45.  No one knows how this all pans out tomorrow.  They're all unfamiliar with the procedure.  Prayers the Surgeon actually knows!!

Hatsune Miku

In real life.  IRL

Home

Facebook memories.  Cutest little bunnies ever.

It warmed up a tad.  Fire was fun.  We were just so happy to not be freezing.

Luk shared his chocolate with Dagon.  They're so sweet together. Kai opted for bed.  He had no interest in being outside.

Our trip home. We leashed them in the front seat.  I put the seat heater on for them and they did great.  Cuddled the whole way.

Happy Easter

The girls are busy with year end exams so they aren't joining us today.  They did send me this, wearing their Easter gift.  Love it.  Happy Easter Lili and Fei.

Best Easter breakfast ever ;)  Yet another stellar parenting moment for all to see.  

After the 1st course of chocolate we really evened it out by serving French toast smothered in sugar.