Tag Archives: ben

Late Night Insight

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Hey Everyone!  It’s me, the negligent blogger!  Sorry, I’ll bring flowers next time.

The Banks’ residence has been it’s usual hubbub of activity.  So hubbuby in fact, that I have a very exciting announcement to make.  You see, something happened in this house, for the first time in more than two years (which coincidentally, is the approximate age of my youngest).  For the first time, in over seven hundred and thirty days, I saw the very bottom of my laundry pile, and had every piece of clothing (minus the ones on bodies) cleaned, folded and tucked into newly purged drawers.

Do you know how many pieces of clothing belong to a 5-year-old, a 3-year-old and a 2-year-old?!?!  A freaking lot…that’s how many.  And they’re all so TINY!  It’s like folding 15 loads of doll clothes.  And in a household where regular activities include finger painting, face painting and baking…it’s no wonder my kids are dressed like this from time to time.

IMG_3100

Yeah, if you’re looking for me I’ll be over in Proudofmyselfsville.

So anyway…among the many things that have happened, the thing I am about to try to capture took place as well.  And as soon as it did, I thought, I gots to go put that there on that old blog I gots there.

So here it is… Continue reading →

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Long Distance REALationships

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I love my siblings.  I really do.  I know, I know.  A lot of people really love their siblings, but in my family it’s different.  They’re all so incredibly supportive of EVERYTHING I so much as THINK of doing, they’re all amazingly thoughtful, and they’re all hilarious.  I just love the crap out of them.

So, for a while there, I was the only parent among my siblings, until my sister Jenny was blessed with her little Olivia.  Just over two years ago I became an auntie to this kid.

I know what you’re thinking and you’re right.  She’s the sweetest.  But you’re not 100% right, because she is actually tied for sweetest with my second niece, her sister, Emily.

Right?  Obviously, I was meant to be an aunt if my nieces turn out this good.  You’re WELCOME Jenny and Kevin.  Sheesh, parents.  They’re always trying to take all the credit.  Anyway…

A couple of weeks ago, Jenny came to visit from New Brunswick with her two little sweet peas.  You heard me…New Brunswick.  As in New-as-east-as-you-can-get-without-falling-in-the-Atlantic-Brunswick.  Move closer already!  Anyway, it was wonderful to see them, and I’m sure that the hassle of going on a car-plane-car ride to and from New Brunswick with a two-year-old and a newborn was worth it if only for this photo.

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First Pair of Different-Aged Conjoined Siblings Found in Banks’ Residence!

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Look out biology enthusiasts.  We’ve got a new phenomenon on our hands.

Ruby and Emma Banks, at 19-months apart, are the world’s first pair of different-aged conjoined siblings.

Siblings Ruby (aged 4) and Emma (aged 2.75) may appear to be just two, normal sisters wearing their mother’s (stretchy-not-huge) pajama pants, but this is simply not the case.

If you were to strip away those forced, cheesy smiles, you might find a scene like the one portrayed in this next chilling photo, to be the more common case.

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The Importance of the Mud Puddle

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Yesterday it was HOT here.  Like firey bowels of Hell hot…but with a humidex.  Anyway, we got out the trusty sprinkler to cool off.

Of course, this happened.

And then everyone wanted in on the fun.

See?  My eco-kids are all about sustainability.  They moved the mud puddle that would have eventually been absorbed by the ground, into the plastic (now dented) lid to their sandbox.  Smarties.

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Lora Banks: EntrepreNERD

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Oh, hi there.  I’m sorry…you were looking for, Lora?  She’s gone now…and has been replaced by a savvy business woman!

I kid.  I haven’t completely sold out…but my bake stand did!  Yesterday was my first day at the farmer’s market and it went really, really well.

There’s me.  I took a shower and everything.  I’m a serious business lady now.

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A Perfect Gentleman

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We went to a birthday party on Sunday, and Ben crawled into a tube.  Not like a sewer pipe or anything, you were supposed to let your kids go in it.  Come to think of it, I hope you were supposed to let your kids go in it.

Either way.  The kids can strike a pose like no other.  He’s a regular Dapper Dan.

Now, if that ain’t a handsome man, I don’t know what is.

Lora

Surprise!

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One of Ben’s favourite pastimes is pulling all of my Tupperware out of the cupboard, then throwing it around the kitchen.  Immersed in his mess-making activity, he didn’t notice a small addition to the cupboard, but found it upon his return for more supplies.

And now, a photo essay.

The Fickle Feelings of a Trouble Maker

by Lora Banks

Shock.

Betrayal.

Forgiveness.

If adults learned to forgive this quickly, we’d be a lot better off.  With that said, if the worst thing that ever happened in the world was that someone surprised you by hiding in the Tupperware cupboard, we’d also be a lot better off.

Lora

Sandbox Life Lessons

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It was finally nice out here today, so the kids and I played outside for about three hours.  We skipped nap time and everything.  That alone tells you how badly we needed some sunshine and warm weather.

At one point during the day, all three kids were in our tiny sandbox.  In the span of about three minutes, I noticed a couple of things.

Ben was so methodical and precise in the way he quietly moved the sand from here to there, then from there to here.  His motor skills are still on par with a 13-month-old, but his intention was so…determined?  Mature?  I’m not sure exactly how to put it, but it was really quite impressive.

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Our Easter Shinanigans

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I’ll sum up my feelings on this Easter in two words.  It’s over.  (Well, “it’s” is actually two words in one, but who’s counting?  Oh you are.  Thanks.  Thanks for all the support.  ANYway, if you’re done criticizing me now, then maybe I’ll get on with my post?  Yeah, thanks.)

Really, it’s all just a big, sugary blur.  My in-laws came for a visit, so of course I felt obliged to break out the big culinary chops.  Not that anyone expected anything of me at all.  I just like to place unrealistic expectations on myself.  It makes me feel like a kid again.  Haha…I’m kidding, mom.

Anyway, I decided that for the second time in my life, I would make cinnamon buns.  The first and last time I made these delectable, devil-buns was a few Easter’s ago, and I guess the torment of it all has faded with time.   You make the dough, it rises, you punch the air out, it rises again, you punch the air out, it rises again, you roll it out, roll it up and cut it into buns, they rise AGAIN, then you bake them.  I can see now why they remind me of Easter so much, what with all this “rising again” business.

This time however, I made a small change to the recipe.  I added a pinch of BREAD MACHINE!  Let’s just say it was a little easier this time around.

So get this:  You line a 9X13″ pan with caramel and walnuts, then put the buns in and bake them.  They come out of the oven like this.

They already look delicious right?  But then, you dump them out of the pan and you get this.

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He-e-e-e-ere’s Lassie!

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The girls were watching Lassie (yes it’s still on TV – a sarcastic THANK YOU to PBS) and there was a crocodile on it.  The girls were a little nervous.

So in response, to comfort them in this terrifying moment, I took a picture, and Ben made this face:

We’re all about support in this family.  I kid.  I obviously gave them each a hug and told them that crocodiles only get kids who don’t listen to their mom.  Haha.  Happy Easter!

Lora